On 28 October, in celebration of World Occupational Therapy Day, third-year students of the Occupational Therapy study programme at the Faculty of Medicine (Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution) participated in a meeting with experienced occupational therapist and visiting professor Hulya Yucel from the University of Health Sciences in Istanbul.

Professor Yucel shared her extensive professional and academic experience, revealing the journey of occupational therapy as an unbroken 28-year mission – a path filled with purpose and hope that began in the early 1990s, within the closed hospital wards where the field was still little known or understood.

Today, occupational therapy is a global profession, reaching beyond hospital walls and focusing on community inclusion, meaningful participation, and mental health sustainability. Professor Yucel discussed key aspects of clinical practice, patient care, and research, answering students’ questions about the evolving profession, its growing importance, and international collaboration opportunities.

The warm and inspiring meeting strengthened the students’ professional identity and pride in their chosen path. As future occupational therapist Kotryna Banaitytė shared: ‘Listening to the professor reminded us once again why we chose occupational therapy – a profession that not only helps people overcome everyday challenges but also helps them rediscover the meaning of life through helping others.’