The courage of Suna Kıraç
Saturday, July 19, 2008
She started working in the 1960s when it was extraordinary for a woman to have a job outside the home. Now she is fighting a deadly disease

Gila BENMAYOR
In midweek I attended perhaps the most touching ceremony of my life at Boğaziçi University. Suna Kıraç, who once was the most powerful businesswoman in the Turkish business world and who can now only speak with her eyes due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, was presented an honorary doctoral degree at the ceremony.

I didn't see her being taken to the historic Albert Long Hall in the university in a wheel chair and hooked up to a respiration system. Yet as soon as I turned my head to the side of the podium, I recognized her. She was wearing black sunglasses, a chic silk blouse and red nail polish.





Power of resistance:



Suddenly I remembered the most internationally acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar's film titled “Talk to her” (Hable con ella). The human brain works in strange ways as we jump from one memory to the other all the time.

There was a scene in this film similar to the one at Albert Long Hall. A young ballet student in coma, Alicia, was sitting in a wheel chair and wearing black sunglasses.

And I think she was on the balcony of the hospital she was in and there a male nurse, who had dedicated his life to his only patient, was standing behind her, talking to her and hugging her with love although she was totally disconnected from the world.

The moment I saw Ms. Kıraç with two nurses in the hall, I just remembered this scene in the film.

Unfortunately, Ms. Kıraç's condition is worse than being in coma because of this disease. Ms. Kıraç would stand a chance to go back from coma, but there is no hope of recovery from the ALS disease slowly killing her muscles.

She was awarded an honorary degree by Boğaziçi University on account of her contributions to education. Her unprecedented power of resistance against this disease makes Ms. Kıraç the most courageous woman to me.

You realize this power, this boldness when you read her book published two years ago telling her life story.

In the documentary shown during the ceremony, Ms. Kıraç explains how she began business life. This is crucial because when she started to work in the 1960s it was something extraordinary for a woman have a job outside the house.

As a matter of fact, her father, the late Vehbi Koç, provided excellent education opportunities to his three daughters, but he didn't like their being businesswomen.

“At that time in Ankara girls were second-class citizens. Even if they had a good education it was morally inappropriate for girls to have a job,” said Ms. Kıraç.

But her mother, Sadberk Hanım, influenced Vehbi Koç, and Suna Kıraç started working together with her father.

I especially stress this because today women are retiring from the labor force and women employment hit its lowest levels at 24.9 percent, a first in “republican history.” The Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association, or TUSIAD, and the Women Entrepreneurs Association, or KAGİDER, released a relevant critical report two days ago.

So Ms. Kıraç, 50 years ago, overcame the prejudice “women do not work” and got into business life. This is extremely important.

Although she is from a very rich family and has enough money to take care of her for the rest of her life, Ms. Kıraç started working and became the “only student” of Vehbi Koç.

Aside from her successful business life, Ms. Kıraç brought the Koç High School and the Turkish Education Foundation to life. Her husband's, İnanç Kıraç, dedication to her has without doubt a share in her life full of courage and power of resistance.





Vehbi Koç's only student

After wearing her gown at the ceremony, Mr. Kıraç was the first person to kiss her on the cheek. Her daughter, İpek Kıraç, was next in the line. These two persons have always been by her side while Ms. Kıraç is showing this extraordinary struggle against ALS.

The message İpek Kıraç read on behalf of her mother is meaningful: “Until now the Republic has claimed us. And today we have to claim the Republic of Turkey more than ever.”


http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr:8...enewsid=110229

Thanks Bobby,
She has been struggling against ALS over 8 years and her family have established an ALS fund, named Kırac lab, Bogazici University, Istanbul

Boğaziçi University
Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation
Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory