Translated for BabelFAmily by Emrecan Özeler

My name is Ömer Ocak. I was born on 1 May 1978 in Kars, on the northeast edge of Turkey. If you ever get the opportunity to come here, I would be delighted to welcome you to my city.
I didn’t have any health problems at primary school or middle school and I wasn’t an unsuccessful student. My elder brother and sister also suffer from FA. Despite the fact that I had been to the doctor many times with them, the doctors never told us that I might also be suffering from FA. During my sophomore year (at around 15 years of age) I was also showing the symptoms, but it took me nine years to accept it. I graduated from high school. I hadn’t been getting out of the house for a long time. I managed to gain preliminary places at university both at the ages of 17 and 19 but I didn’t study: it was really hard to sit in a wheelchair, particularly when it wasn’t through choice. I didn’t receive any psychological help throughout this period. I don’t know whether this is the case in other countries, but I think it is necessary.

I spent the entire time between 1997 and 2006 at home. I seemed to have no expectations from life. By 2006, I had really become accustomed to my illness: I had accepted it. It was time to show the world that disabled people, and in our case, that FA patients could achieve many things; and to do this, I needed an education. I took the university exam again, and gained a place at Marmara University, Faculty of Technical Education. The university was located in Istanbul, while we were living in Kars. At first, my family didn’t want me to leave, but I moved to Istanbul. I studied and graduated successfully.
I am planning to set up a company where disabled people can work. I like travelling and seeing new places. It has long been my hope to get involved in an organization like this one. I would also like to invite everybody to Kars!