Tom Defloor
On Tuesday March 23rd 2011 we lost one of our most honorable members, a colleague and a friend. Tom Defloor, EPUAP President in the period between September 2005 and 2007, passed away after a year of fighting for his life.
Tom devoted most of his life to the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. He did this by building an international leading research group at the University of Gent in Belgium, by educating clinical practitioners nationally as well as internationally via his e-learning tool PUCLAS and of course by playing an important role in the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel. He also was a leading partner in the development of our recent international guidelines and in this activity worked tirelessly with the US National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel.
In all these activities Tom had his own unique style. He was charming, with a lot of humor and generosity, but nevertheless he always gave a clear, concise, serious message. He loved scientific debate and was not afraid to spawn controversial new ideas or hypotheses that generated new research, and always with the implications for clinical practice in his mind.
Dear Tom.
We will miss your lovely lectures illustrated with your own cartoons.
We will miss your sharp vision in meetings and your stimulating ideas.
But most of all we will miss you as a friend.
We hope you will find the peace you deserve.
A web page has been created at http://www.ebnursing.ugent.be/Tom_Defloor/tom_defloor.htm
where you can leave a message that will be provided to Tom's family
Een groot man is heen gegaan en wat heeft hij veel gedaan op wondzorg!
Wat een groot gemis en ik zal zijn lezingen zeker missen!
Ik wens zijn familie veel sterkte toe met deze enorme leegte.
Dear Tom,
On one of my business trips I received the sad news. On my long flight home I had time to reflect on memories about the numerous meetings I had the privilege to share views with you. Although I have been in this game much longer than you, you inspired me. Tom, a man of true vision, an original thinker.
I fondly remember the last time we met during the Portuguese ATPF congress in 2009 in Porto. You were there with your wife and we enjoyed one another’s company in this lovely place on the beach. While the Atlantic ocean pushed high waves under the boardwalk, we made plans for projects. We also talked about being a parent to children growing up and the choices they had to make. What we shared is the appreciation of having a loving and loyal partner who keeps the home fire burning, no matter what..
Tom, I will make the plans work and will continue to press on in this field. However it will never be the same without you..
My heart goes out to your lovely wife and to your children.
Fare well..
Anneke Andriessen
Tom was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He was patient, kind and supportive (especially to those new to the field of pressure ulcer research). He made time for everyone. Tom was such a gifted lecturer and a wonderful teacher. We have a saying that it is better to light a candle than to complain of the dark – Tom ignited many candles, and because of this our knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention and care has grown throughout Europe and beyond. He will be deeply missed by all that knew him.
My heart goes out to his wife and family, as well as his colleagues and friends.
God Bless
As Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Nursing and having met Tom a few times I am very saddened by this news. Tom was a leading researcher in the field of wound care, he was a JCN board member and published frequently in the journal. His contribution will be missed and I extend my deepest sympathy to his family.
Tom was a prolific researcher/writer/educator and his pressure ulcer work contributes greatly to patient care. He will be sadly missed. May he rest in peace and I extend my sympathy to his family. Seamus Cowman Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Tom，你是一个治学严谨的人，我从你的文章中能学到很多，你为我们留下了很多的文化遗产，虽然我从未见过您，希望您能一路走好。我们会思念您 中国江苏省 徐玲
I met Tom as EPAUP trustee bust also previously from his publications.
When I was received the news, i was very saddened too. I really appreciated Tom and all their work. When Tom was at our meetings in Spain their lectures were very well appreciated.
May he rest in peace and I extend my sympathy to his family. Spain don't forget you.
I met Tom only once, and a US NPUAP meeting around 2003 and found him to be everything that everyone else has already said. In our brief meeting he was more kind and approachable than I expected an international researcher to be, and he told me something I've never forgotten. He noted my name badge, looked at me with all seriousness, and said, "You changed the way I practice". To have someone of his stature say that was so impactful, I can remember it vividly, and regret that I never told him how much his few words meant to me. Our profession is a bit dimmer for his loss, but strengthened by his contributions and by his person.
Although I havn't met Tom in person, but I was impressed with his work on PU prevention,it was in my plan to meet him one day. He left but his work is still existing.
Ahmad Hamdan, PhD Student at UTA, TX – USA
Tom, I know you are watching over us budding PU researchers. I discovered our great loss (you) as I was researching your work for my PhD dissertation on pressure ulcer prevention risk assessment. We must now try to keep your clarity of vision alive on this critical clinical problem.