Page 65 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2024

IN MEMORIAM

when war broke out in her home
country Sudan, the RVC was
able to sponsor Sulafa through
CARA, to continue her research LANCE NORRIS
investigating the potential of
Sudanese plant extracts for
treating seizures. WE ALSO PROUDLY
Sulafa was a remarkable and lovely REMEMBER:
lady. She had a veterinary degree,
plus two master’s degrees and was
studying for her PhD while teaching Keith Bernard Baker 1960
at universities in Sudan. She was
extremely passionate about her Basil ‘Bob’ Baldwin 1956
students and research and was David Clifford Ball 1959
devastated when the war broke out,
the university closed, her jobs no John Booker 1954
longer existed, and she could not
continue her PhD. She also had to Peter Buxton 1954
move out of the city to a safer place, David John Coffey 1962
without bombs and gunfire.
Douglas Philip Dobson 1982
After a stint in the countryside in
Sudan she managed to get to Sri Donald Frederick Gibbons 1960
Lanka and then the United Arab
Emirates, before coming to the UK It is with great sadness that we John Grandage 1963
to work at the RVC while living with announce the passing of our fondly Mah Soon Ho 1968
her aunt. Unfortunately, Sulafa fell remembered former colleague,
seriously ill after only a few weeks. Lance Norris. Lance was a Robert Stanley Hooper 1963
She was so grateful for the care dedicated member of the Campus Catherine May Macdonald
and treatment she got from the Services team as a porter for Ramachandra 1962
NHS and was looking forward to 20 years. Over the years, Lance
returning to her work at the RVC, and his ‘portering-partner in crime’ Victor James Alban Manton 1953
once her course of treatment Chris, supported our team with Stuart David John Marston 1972
had ended.
hundreds of events, graduations
She was also planning to and reunions – setting up rooms, Jennifer Parsons 2017
write her life story. She was carting our gowns and graduation Michael Phillippo 1963
eternally optimistic. paraphernalia to venues across
central London and assisting us George Potter 1953
Sadly, Sulafa died on Friday with office moves (of which there
23rd August 2024. Her family have been a few). Alan John Charles Rhodes 1975
expressed their gratitude to the James Henry Seed 1958
RVC community for helping Sulafa He departed from the RVC
during her time of need. in 2022 due to ill health but Michael Sheppard 1967
remained in contact with many
Donations in Sulafa’s memory of his former colleagues even Gordon Donald Totterdell 1967
can be made to www.cara.ngo after he left. He will be greatly
or www.royalmarsden.org Kim Wilson 2014
missed by all who knew him.
…and our other RVC alumni and friends
Our thoughts are with his family
at this sad time and our sincerest who are sadly no longer with us.
condolences to them and his friends.

OBITUARIES
We wish to honour and celebrate the
lives of all our RVC alumni and community
members who have sadly passed away.
Please write us at alumni@rvc.ac.uk
if you wish to share stories or memories
of a relative, friend, or colleague.

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