Stephan will also be remembered for his kindness, generosity, and the inspiration he provided to colleagues and friends around the world. His legacy will remain with future generations of reproductive specialists.
We extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
The following personal reflections come from colleagues and friends who had the privilege of knowing and working closely with Stephan over many years.
It is with true sadness and deep sorrow that I received the news of Dr. Stephan Gordts’ passing. Apart from his immeasurable scientific merits in the field of reproduction and being an innovator and a true leader in reproductive surgery, Stephan was a kind soul. Always polite, friendly and elegant, a true gentleman able to provoke a deep personal impression while stimulating your scientific thinking and making you admire his surgical skills and vision.
I first met him personally in February 2011, during an ESHRE campus on Endoscopy in Reproductive Medicine in Leuven. This was the seed of the later ECRES pathway as we know it nowadays, and the right stimuli for me to wish to enter the SIG Reproductive Surgery a few years later. By doing so, I had the opportunity to continue learning from him but also to share with him many friendly times either in ESHRE campus workshops, ESHRE annual meetings – where he always took care of organising the live surgical session -, at ASPIRE or at ASRM. I also had the pleasure to attend the farewell party held in his honour in Leuven November 2024 for his retirement. Unfortunately, just a few months later we all knew of his unfortunate condition, and still, he kept taking part on the work meetings for the adenomyosis guideline. His legacy will stay for the new generations to learn and his memory will remain with all of us who had the pleasure to know him personally.
My special condolences to all his family and friends, and specially to his lovely wife and to our colleague, Sylvie Gordts, his beloved daughter. May his soul rest in peace. Maribel Acien.
Stephan is no longer with us.
Stephan who quietly, but firmly and strongly, brought reproductive surgery into ESHRE when very few people thought there could be a future for this activity within our Society.
Stephan who organised the live surgery sessions at our annual meetings all around Europe turning them into one of the most popular activities of the event.
Stephan, always silently and gently backing me up when ARTCC and ECRES were created.
Stephan, whose calm and warm voice has disseminated deep and innovative knowledge during his lectures.
Stephan, whose imagination and creativity invented surgical techniques almost impossible to conceive.
Stephan, whose smile, even when hidden by the surgical mask, was there, reassuring and friendly, in the difficult situations of any operating theatre.
Stephan, you are around, as usual, it is just a matter of contacting you in a different way…and I am sure an answer will be always given by you. Luca Gianaroli
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