Renes experiences of dolphin therapy in Kemer

Written by Sandra Treitler

The Treitler Family’s Experiences of Dolphin Therapy in Kemer

As we have three dolphin therapies behind us with our son Rene, who suffers from Ohtahara syndrome with epilepsy, we would like to tell you of our experiences at this Centre.

We, my wife Sandra, our daughter Lisa and I were in 2003 in Cuba, 2005 in Kas and from 28.07. to 11.08.2007 for the first time, but definitely not the last, in this Therapy centre.

After a 2 hour flight from Linz to Dalaman we were collected, after checking out, by a Mini bus which took us to the Kemer Dolphin Park. The drive took about 90 minutes.

Compared to the flight to Cuba or Florida, about 13 hours, the relatively short journey was easy to endure with Rene, who is hyperactive.

After being taken to our accommodation, our bungalow, we had a free day to acquaint ourselves with the surroundings and the hotel facilities.

The best thing about the bungalow was that it was only 10 yards from the beach which was reserved for therapy families. The Dolphinarium was also only 40 yards away. One lived alongside the dolphins and one could hear them. Because tourists were not allowed in this area we could enjoy peace and quiet with our children. We could lie on the beach in the evening and the children were asleep in their beds behind us in the bungalow. We also had a large Veranda.

We knew that we had found the best place in turkey.

After the reception where we met the team: Axel Linke and Elena Gerasimova, the therapy began. As Rene loves to be in the water and has met dolphins before, everything ran smoothly. The Therapy Team, with the therapist Dr. Anna Dragunova, the trainer Koko and the trainee Svenja Burtschik, could work well with Rene right from the start and they had a lot of fun together.

There were 10 sessions: an hour with the dolphin in the morning of every second day with a rest day between. My daughter Lisa, my wife Sandra and myself were also often in the water with Frosja. Rene was calmer after the first session and he was able to undertake the tasks on his own. After every session Rene was calmer and more relaxed. With each day his fits were less and less, the last two days he didn’t have a fit at all.

On four days we had an hour’s Hippo therapy in the afternoon. Here, also, Rene had a great time with the therapy team Fillis and Salih Kandemir. As opposed to the Hippo therapies at home, these sessions were unique and stimulating for Rene.

A further four days Rene had Cranio Therapy with Astrid Kulas who also right from the start was able to work with our very lively Rene extremely well. Rene was able to lie quietly and enjoyed these sessions which lasted 1 hour each. My wife, Lisa and I were also explained how this therapy works and we could feel the effect over our whole bodies. And on another 2 days we had a family therapy with Thomas von Grudzinski the Physiotherapist who helped us a great deal. I recommend especially these sessions to all families from first hand experience.

Thanks to Svenja Burtschik, who offered to look after the kids, we were able to visit the Market and the town of Kemer.

Thanks to Axel Linke, who took Lisa and the other children on a fishing trip. Lisa and two other children also spent a night aboard the Sharazan, where Axel and Elena live.

A special thanks to Dr. Anna Dragunova (Dolphin therapist), Fillis and Salih Kandemir (Hippo therapists), Astrid Kulas (Cranio therapist), Thomas von Grudzinski (Family therapist), Svenja Burtschik, Lisa Dietermann, Michael Jurk and naturally Elena Gerasimova and Axel Linke.

We have visited other Therapy centres, but this one we can highly recommend because nowhere else have we had so much dolphin contact and such a large selection of therapies.

Especially the price – Therapies, Hotel all‐inclusive and many leisure activities, ‐ is fair as opposed to Cuba or Florida and is worth every penny. Not to forget that we had much less travel stress through the shorter journey.

To put it in a nut shell: The whole team and everything else is highly recommended.

Thank you very, very much, keep up the good work !!! We shall definitely meet again.

With best wishes, Sandra, Lisa, Erwin and especially Rene´ Treitler