Mehmet Haberal receives philanthropy award from US foundation

ANKARA

The renowned American College of Surgeons (ACS) has given Mehmet Haberal, the founder of Ankara’s Başkent University and president of the World Transplant Association (WTA), its “distinguished philanthropist” award for his contributions to health, education and humanity.

On behalf of the ACS Foundation Board of Directors, former president of the association Lamar S. McGinnis presented the 2017 Distinguished Philanthropist Award to Haberal on Oct. 23 at the foundation’s 104th congress in San Diego.

McGinnis noted that Haberal was the first ever international nominee for this prize.

Speaking at the ceremony, ACS President Elect Barbara Lee Bass said Haberal was given the award for his generous contributions to the college, service to the larger philanthropic community, extensive record of volunteerism, and a career-long dedication to innovation and quality surgical patient care.

“As an ACS Foundation donor since 1990, Professor Haberal’s generous philanthropy has elevated him to the Fellows Leadership Society Founders Circle, one of the top giving tiers within the ACS Foundation’s donor recognition program,” the ACS’s official bulletin stated.

As a pioneer in the fields of general surgery, transplantation, and burn care in Turkey, Haberal is the founder and president of Baskent University, as well as the founder and previous president of the Middle East Society for Organ Transplantation (MESOT). He is also a member of 35 national and international medical societies and has been helped organize over 30 national and international scientific meetings.

“I am very happy and proud,” Haberal said after receiving the award.

“Our duty is to elevate and improve our country. That is what we are trying to do,” he added.

Haberal completed his speech by saying that he will “forever be proud of his country,” Turkey.