In Memory of Carolien (Batt) Rutgers  d. 5.04.2010

Dr Carolien Rutgers, Director/Trustee and friend, was a brilliant scientist and teacher whose distinguished career as a researcher and lecturer at The Royal College of Veterinary Science was cut short by a meningioma tumour.

In the mid-nineties, Carolien and I found common cause when we "met" on an American meningioma website. Our personal meningioma experiences led us to set up Meningioma UK in 1999. From then on, Carolien brought up her children, and worked to better the lives of meningioma patients and carers across the UK. She helped develop our support and information, and the Meningioma Helpline and email support.

Patients benefited from her depth of knowledge and medical-scientific understanding through her personal attention and detailed notes, and she willingly tracked down extra information when needed. Carolien also acted as a trustee of Brain Tumour UK for five years, and was an Assessor for BTUK  Denney Fund.

Over the years she made hundreds of meningioma friends. Carolien was a friend to many of us when we sorely needed help, and she will be deeply missed.

We send our special thanks to the compassionate hospital staff who enabled Carolien's sons to take her gentle guide dog, Connie, to her bedside so she could stroke her and say goodbye.

 "I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Caroline. She helped me on numerous occasions  when I was having my own meningioma problems.  Nothing was too much for her.  Meningioma UK will miss her very much." Eileen McCartney

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