OMU Launches “Health Starts at Home” Project for Families of Children with Special Needs

Supported under TÜBİTAK 4008, the project aims to strengthen families’ health literacy and provide evidence-based guidance for the everyday care of children with special needs.

The opening program of the “Health Starts at Home” project, developed by Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) in cooperation with Altınkum Special Education under the TÜBİTAK 4008 program, was held with the aim of strengthening the health literacy of families of children with special needs and providing scientific support for caregiving processes.

The program, held at OMU OMTEL Hotel, brought together public officials, university representatives, academics, and the parents of 24 students with special needs participating in the project.

Participants included Canik District Governor Şeref Aydın, OMU Vice-Rectors Prof. Dr. Çetin Kurnaz and Prof. Dr. Alper Kesten, representatives of education institutions, faculty administrators, academics, and participating families.

Şeref Aydın: “In Reality, Everything Begins with the Family”

Speaking at the program, Canik District Governor Şeref Aydın emphasized the importance of cooperation among institutions to ensure that services and opportunities for people with special needs translate effectively into everyday life.

“I am very pleased to be here for the opening of such a meaningful project,” Aydın said. “Our state provides valuable opportunities for individuals with special needs, and these opportunities continue to expand. For them to make a full difference in practice, however, public administrators and all stakeholders need to work together.”

Referring to the project title, he added:

“The project is called ‘Health Starts at Home,’ but I believe that, in reality, everything begins with the family. In social life, we may sometimes conceal certain difficulties as we try to adapt, but at home we are at our most natural. That is why the home environment should never be overlooked in initiatives like this.”

Aydın also stressed the importance of focusing on families when addressing broader social challenges.

Prof. Dr. Kesten: “One of a University’s Most Important Responsibilities Is to Share Its Knowledge with Society”

OMU Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Alper Kesten highlighted universities' responsibility to make their knowledge and expertise available to communities in need.

“Organizing a program like this, through which our University can share its knowledge and experience with families and their children with special needs, is extremely valuable,” Kesten said.

“One of the most important responsibilities of universities is to share the knowledge and expertise they possess with the parts of society that need them. This project has great value in fulfilling that mission.”

Yüksel Aydın: “Science Is One of the Most Important Tools for Breaking Down Barriers Between Us”

Yüksel Aydın, Atakum District Director of National Education, emphasized the role of science in strengthening social inclusion and described the project as an important initiative for supporting people with special needs and their families.

“Science is one of the most important tools we have for breaking down the barriers between us,” Aydın said.

“The TÜBİTAK 4008 project we are launching today is a concrete reflection of that vision. Helping individuals with special needs live independently, healthily, and confidently in every area of life, while strengthening the knowledge and awareness of their families, is a shared responsibility.”

He added that the “TÜBİTAK 4008 – Health Starts at Home” project, implemented through cooperation between OMU and Altınkum Special Education, represented an important example of this approach.

Dr. Elif Mercan Uzun: “Effective Care and Healing Begin at Home”

Project Lead Dr. Elif Mercan Uzun said the project’s primary objective is to reduce some of the burden families experience during caregiving and empower them with reliable scientific knowledge.

Uzun emphasized that health literacy is not merely a theoretical concept but an essential part of everyday life.

Through the project, families will be supported with accurate, evidence-based methods rather than having to rely on unverified information.

She also stressed that care and recovery do not begin only in hospitals, but also through the decisions and practices families adopt at home.

Uzun noted that parents who are empowered with reliable information can play an important role in supporting their children’s well-being and future development.

The opening program concluded with a group photograph bringing together officials, academics, and participating parents.