21.08.1953 – 18.07.2020
It is with great sadness we mourn the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Yves Van Belle.
Yves was a pioneer in ambulatory hysteroscopy, one of the founders of the European Academy and played an integral role in the development of the GESEA Programme.
He brought GESEA and hysteroscopic training throughout Europe, Africa and Asia through teaching, whilst also sharing his warmth, culture and sense of humour with all those who met him. Very strict in the quality of work but very humble and tolerant out of its task, Yves loved to work with all his medical colleagues and his enduring friendships with many of them saw him through life’s challenges. His dedication and attention to detail set an example to those who have followed in his footsteps.
It is better to teach than to curse ignorance, he always said.
He started his career as Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the St Jans Kliniek in Brussels, Belgium in the eighties and already in 1989 he has documented 4240 consecutive ambulatory office hysteroscopies. In 1990 he joined the Rollerball team, a group of young dedicated hysteroscopists who traveled all over Europe to teach the modern hysteroscopic approach. He was one of the best instructors ever and he loved to share experience. Later on, he was the heart of the ESGE-Academy workshops! No matter where in the world they were, he would be there preparing everything in advance and ensuring their success. The workshops had to be immaculate in every respect. He was a perfectionist, blessed with a rare ability to teach and explain things in the simplest way that could be understood by all.
Yves was also a very sensitive person and present in our families as a member and as a dear friend. He would write poems for our birthdays and for the difficult times of our lives to encourage us and give us strength as well as hope. Yves was a genuine man with true feelings and a big heart. Big enough to include us all and love us all. We are all privileged to have been around such a wonderful unselfish man always giving his love, knowledge, and experience. Unfortunately, we will no longer listen to music together, or dance after a hard days work to relax. We will miss the spiritual conversations on medical subjects as well as those beyond medicine.
We extend our sincere and deepest sympathy to his family – his wife Carine, his daughter Lise, his son Koen and his beloved grandchildren who brought such joy to his life and whose photos always held pride of place on his desk.
ESGE has lost a valuable member and a special friend. A sensitive man whose delicate heart betrayed him at an early age. Yves was such a strong personality, fighting every day with lots of courage and determination against his disease.
May he rest peacefully.
Rust in vrede, Requiesce in pace , Descansi en pau, Qəbri nurla dolsun, Goian bego, Počivaj u miru, Repose en Paix, Почивай в мир, Spoczywaj w pokoju, Hvíldu í friði, Riposa in pace, 安らかに眠る, Strieh fil-paċi, Відпочивай у спокої, 安息, Hvil i fred, Puhka rahus, Მშვიდად განისვენე, Αναπαύσου εν ειρήνη, תנוח על משכבך בשלום
Ruhe in Frieden, Lepää rauhassa, Nyugodjon békében, Descanse em paz, Vila i frid, Адпачні спакойна, Huzur içinde yatsın, Descanse en paz, Počivaj v miru, Почивај у миру, Покойся с миром, Odihnească-se în pace, Atpūties mierā, Ilsėkis ramybėje, Rou a Fridden, Почивај во мир,
Goodbye, “Have you safe in our soul“