Turkey’s first blind marathon runner and mountain climber, Necdet Turhan, just finished his project titled “Five continents: Five marathons and Five Summits” which he started in 2002 by running in the New York marathon and completed February 2017 with his final climb in Australia on mount Kosciusko. His other climbs include: Mt. Ararat in Turkey, Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mt. Blanc in France, and Mt Sheridan in Colorado, USA. With the slogans of “By will not by sight a mountain is climbed” and “Obstacles are meant to be overcome and problems to be solved”, he started this project with the purpose of raising awareness for the blind in Turkey. Necdet wanted to show their capabilities and share about their needs. Through his efforts he also raised money for the first and only library for blind children in Turkey.
Necdet Turhan’s Five Continent project that was completed by a climb up Mount Kosciuszko in Australia was sponsored in part by the Bridge to Turkey association. Bridge to Turkey was started in 2003 by Turks living in America and they partnered with Necdet specifically to be involved in supporting education for the blind. They also give funds to several worthy causes: Middle East Technical University in Ankara for five students to receive scholarships for five years, the Turkey Handicap Federation that is distributing literature books, and the Izmir Seeing Impaired branch which is printing English learning books.
At the top of Mount Kosciuszko, Necdet Turhan along with Nevzat Öntaş and Çağan Sazak remembered the famous climber, Uğur Uluocak, who lost his life while climbing in Kyrgyzstan with a banner that had his picture and read “We honor you with remembrance and respect.”
Necdet was born in 1957 in Balikesir, Turkey. He was the youngest child in a family of civil servants. After moving to Bursa and finishing middle school, he continued his studies in the evening while working during the day to help provide for the family. At the age of 23 due to complications from an eye infection he went blind. That didn’t stop him from finishing high school and going on to get his bachelor's degree in Political Science and Public Administration from Middle Eastern Technical University in Ankara. Through some persistence he was eventually accepted to the climbing team at the university. During climbs he would follow the sound of the bells tied to his climbing partner.
After graduation he was assigned to a State job working in a factory as a telephone operator. This job did not fit well with his degree and was the first time he faced discrimination due to his blindness. He was given the job based on his lack of vision rather than his diploma. After some time he resigned from this job and got the media's attention by climbing mountains protesting prejudice against the handicapped. Over the years he protested with other slogans: “The handicapped can also succeed”, “To love life and succeed, effort is necessary”. For four years he worked as a journalist writing for a column in the newspaper on a variety of relevant topics.
Later in between marathons and climbs, he worked as the office manager at a local handicap center. There he taught seeing impaired children how to use a cane and a computer, how to engage in conversation with seeing persons, and how to work hard and pursue dreams. He officially retired in 2015 but continues to volunteer and support his students. He is well loved and an inspiration to all who meet him.
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Necdet Turhan’s Five Continent project that was completed by a climb up Mount Kosciuszko in Australia was sponsored in part by the Bridge to Turkey association. Bridge to Turkey was started in 2003 by Turks living in America and they partnered with Necdet specifically to be involved in supporting education for the blind. They also give funds to several worthy causes: Middle East Technical University in Ankara for five students to receive scholarships for five years, the Turkey Handicap Federation that is distributing literature books, and the Izmir Seeing Impaired branch which is printing English learning books.
At the top of Mount Kosciuszko, Necdet Turhan along with Nevzat Öntaş and Çağan Sazak remembered the famous climber, Uğur Uluocak, who lost his life while climbing in Kyrgyzstan with a banner that had his picture and read “We honor you with remembrance and respect.”
Necdet was born in 1957 in Balikesir, Turkey. He was the youngest child in a family of civil servants. After moving to Bursa and finishing middle school, he continued his studies in the evening while working during the day to help provide for the family. At the age of 23 due to complications from an eye infection he went blind. That didn’t stop him from finishing high school and going on to get his bachelor's degree in Political Science and Public Administration from Middle Eastern Technical University in Ankara. Through some persistence he was eventually accepted to the climbing team at the university. During climbs he would follow the sound of the bells tied to his climbing partner.
After graduation he was assigned to a State job working in a factory as a telephone operator. This job did not fit well with his degree and was the first time he faced discrimination due to his blindness. He was given the job based on his lack of vision rather than his diploma. After some time he resigned from this job and got the media's attention by climbing mountains protesting prejudice against the handicapped. Over the years he protested with other slogans: “The handicapped can also succeed”, “To love life and succeed, effort is necessary”. For four years he worked as a journalist writing for a column in the newspaper on a variety of relevant topics.
Later in between marathons and climbs, he worked as the office manager at a local handicap center. There he taught seeing impaired children how to use a cane and a computer, how to engage in conversation with seeing persons, and how to work hard and pursue dreams. He officially retired in 2015 but continues to volunteer and support his students. He is well loved and an inspiration to all who meet him.
You can click for TEDx Talks video