François Bonnici

Dear Prof,

For some reason over the last few weeks you have been in my thoughts and I kept thinking about you. This weekend I thought I must look you up and I saw the very sad news of your recent passing.

I thank you so often for the life your care enabled me to have. As I near 50 (50! at the end of next year - can you believe that?!) I know that if I hadn’t had the good fortune of meeting you in 1981/2 that I would not be here today. Your years of kindness, warmth, determination and medical expertise are carried in my heart and will be with me always.

I’m so glad I got to see you the last time I was in South Africa, it was wonderful to reminisce with you and Steve and to see how involved you still were with everything, so full of life and wisdom!

I am still in London, annd believe me, every consultant I see hears all about the great Prof Bonnici!

With a heavy heart and tears in my eyes I say goodbye. Thank you dear Prof, may you rest in peace.

Dr Philotheou, I am so sorry for your loss. Prof always spoke about you and his children with such pride and joy. And I remember you well, whenever I saw you in the corridors when I was at GSH, I always thought you were the most beautiful lady I had ever seen! My thoughts are with all of you and I will never forget Prof, the kindest, wisest Dr I’ve ever met.

Best wishes,
LA

I have been a tipe 1 diabetic from a young age of 11. I am now 48. I started off seeing Sister Stalk and Dr Philatheo. As a young adult I progressed to Prof Bonitchie. I started working as a marine technician conducting marine research for which sea going medicals was required. When I started having trouble with the medicals as a diabetic, I would approach Prof. he was always keen to assist and fight for my cause! That is how I will always remember Prof! A man that would fight for the rights of Diabetics. No matter how challenging it would be! He left a big impression on those that knew him and he shared his knowledge with everyone. He will be missed !

Francois and I shared an era of medical education and practice at UCT/GSH in the 1960s and 1970s, during which the emphasis was uniquely on the acquisition and use of bedside clinical skills that antedated new, sophisticated diagnostic aids. Patient-centred care was characterized by long-term follow up, especially in his field for patients with diabetes. There are very few of us left who can recall what we would consider to be those nostalgic days in medicine.

Francois’ warm personality and enthusiastic involvement as a clinician, teacher and health care professional were infectious features of his Mediterranean temperament. He married my dear classmate, Areti, and they danced gracefully through almost 60 years of close partnership in their family and working lives as a well-known and admired couple in national and international diabetes circles.

One outstanding aspect of Francois's life and career as a Paediatric Endocrinologist, that may not be widely known, was his role in adult Endocrinology. In the 1970s we had 7 Endocrinologists in the Department of Medicine at UCT/GSH, and Endocrinology was renowned for its scientific, intellectual and clinical capabilities. During the 1970s and into the 1980s deaths of some physicians, and progressive emigration of others for political reasons, left the Department of Medicine devoid of Endocrinologists. I invited Francois and Bob Millar, a biochemist with an interest in Endocrinology, to jointly head that Unit, and train new senior registrars. They both willingly accepted and carried these new responsibilities most effectively, thus ensuring retention of our Endocrine services, and the ability to train the next generation of Endocrinologists.

While mourning Francois’ death, we celebrate the full and dedicated life he lived with great benefit to family, friends, colleagues and patients.

En ce triste moment les paroles n'ont aucune signification je souhaite uniquement carissimi François e Gisèle dirvi che sono vicino a voi .

Prof Bonnici was an icon and visionary in patient centred care I was appointed as 1 of the 1st Diabetes educators in the Endocrine Paediatric depth He
encouraged me to start the ist Diabetes education centre entirely dedicated to Children and Adolescents at Red Cross Children Hospital. He started Camps for Children in which he encouraged self care and independence.. He was humble. highly intelligent and a great Mentor and close friend He cared about people and fought against discrimination and injustice in the work. Place and for his patients
He together with his wonderful wife Areti revolutionised the care of the child with Diabetes and walked their journey with. them. Into Adulthood.
I was priveledged to be sent on many overseas trips to camps in Boston and Colorado with some of our underprivileged kids.
I owe him. and Areti a huge debt as they held my hand and gently guided me to become the Nurse Specialist I became We became close friends and shared many experiences together
Prof you will be missedI could go on and on About what you meant to us at work and in our private lives You helped me weather many storm
Love and condolences to Areti Gigi François and their families

Francois was a colleague, mentor and a treasured friend.
He will be remembered as a physician who upheld the best values of our profession and, with his own inimitable style, he has left a rich legacy.
RIP

I had the privilege of meeting Dr Philotheou and then Prof Bonnici. It's taking me a while to type this as I deal with the loss of a wonderful doctor and man who's been in my life for decades ❤️ 😭

He, Dr Philotheou, Sr Anke, Sr Henshilwood, Sr Anthony, Sr Charity, Sr Starke are the reason for me moving from an uncontrolled type 1 diabetic to a PhD in improving diabetes self-management with mobile applications. What I found is that it's not the only technology that drives good Hba1c it's the team of great doctors, Srs and family that does.

After I had a severe hypo while pregnant with my son and collapsed during a lecture and was rushed to hospital, he educated another endo on managing a hypo unaware type 1 on an insulin pump.

He's the reason I presented at my first conference 😊 He's probably also the reason I want to become a Professor. You've left an impression on my life and I'm going to have to adjust to not seeing you at my appointments 😭 You will be missed and never forgotten 💟

I am part of the extended family in François and Areti's lives...
I needed to pay my respects to his family,friends and
professional collegues and say goodbye to
Prof Bonnici at his
place of Worship this last Friday 6th
September.
Words that come to mind instantly and yet
seem to simple when I
think of Proff ..humble,dedicated
caring,kind,considerate,
stoic,academic,a good laugh,fun abd made time yo chat with you..respectful to all HCP's and
inclusive,..wanting to
support the DNE's and encouraging standards and recognition..his
Meditteranean style (signature shirt)
and love of life,culture
and music was his
trade mark. A friend I
shared his passing with
and was under Proffs care for years said " I
always remember he
would sing operetta's
whilst examining you".
Areti,Luc-François,Gisele and
family, my
condolences to you
all.
A brilliant man to so
many,to the lives he
touched and to
difference he made.
It's time to rest
François.
Goodbye for now.

Although i never met Dr. Bonnici, i had written to him when my son was diagnosed with Diabetes- his contact was given to me through my dearest friend Elena who lived with Gigi in New York. He took the time and wrote me the most beautiful response that just made everything ok and gave perspective to everything. Sending much love to the family.. Andria Marangos

Francois made sure that his widowed sister’s children experienced as much of the natural world as possible. He taught them to swim, introduced them to all the peninsula’s beaches, one Sunday at a time.
I am Eddy Cassar and Francois was my uncle. My mom was widowed early and was left with five children ranging in age from 13 to 3 at the age of 36.
My brothers and I would spend hours in the Red Cross hospital’s nurses pool, whilst Francois attended to his patients. Then off to the beach, swim and beach bats. We looked forward to the weekends.
Francois had an alphabet of degrees to his name, which we used to great effect. He once wrote me a doctor’s certificate on why I could not wear the school regulation Panama hat, as my skin reacted viciously to the inferior quality straw it was made from. It worked!
He loved challenging us to beach bats or backgammon and introduced us to table tennis as an alternative to rugby!
My brother‘s and I were Western Province’s official scorers at basketball matches, a sport he loved and represented the country at.
I remember visiting the old Ostende house in the late fifties, early sixties and always investigating the freezer for the frogs and other animals he was dissecting at medical school.
In my time I have come across countless people who owe their lives to him. He certainly shaped mine! He taught me about exercise and about nature and that the most important and simply thing in life is kindness.
I have swam almost daily since and have accomplished a number of distance sea swims. He shaped my life for which I shall always be indebted.
Francois was a humble, happy, human whose love for humanity in general and his patients in particular, shone above every else. MHDSRIP

Regretfully, I never had the opportunity to meet Professor Bonnici, but without him, my son would not be alive today. My son who was born in Pietermaritzburg in 1987 was sent home from Greys Hospital as a seemingly healthy baby but failed to thrive. After a week or so it became evident that something was not right, and he was seen and admitted into hospital with dehydration. Over the next few days my son deteriorated becoming critically ill and the paediatricians had no idea of the cause, so they contacted Professor Bonnici in Cape Town for help. Professor Bonnici was able to identify (and suggested tests to confirm the diagnosis) the very rare life-threatening adrenal condition my son has. Professor Bonnici then spent several years guiding the paediatricians on how to treat my son.
Professor Bonnici's knowledge and expertise as an endocrinologist, along with his dedication and kindness, saved my son's life and I'm sure, the lives of many other children. For this, our family will always be very grateful. So sorry to hear of his passing and our sincere condolences to all his family.

Francois was a very loving and beautiful human being, with a deep love for his family.
You didn’t needed to know him much to start loving him, as he was a very smart and kind person.
I am sorry for the loss of this great man who will be missed by many.

Prof was my doctor since I was diagnosed with diabetes at age 6 in 1988. He saved my life. But he also taught me how to live it fully. He had a saying that my whole family uses “you can’t just be alive. You have got to LIVE your life”

I'm so saddened by his passing, I really loved him, he was such a special beautiful man. I'm 64 now and I first met him as my Dr when I was about 8. I was a patient in Ward E1 GSH. And later an out - patient at his Endocrine Clinic, GSH. When I went on to get married (he told me "be careful who u choose" and then apologized for saying so! 😂) but he was literally like a father so I didn't mind at all lol. When I had my 2 children, he was their primary Dr too from 3months old,calong with his colleagues.They are now 40 & 35, they loved him just as much. And then of late he was the primary Dr of my nieces son (15) at the Diabetic clinic at RXH.
So yes, he is well known and well loved by all of us and I will treasure his beautiful memories.
I also always said Dr B was the 1st person who made socks and sandals a trend WAY before it became one!!
Sending love and sincere Condolences to the family (I had the pleasure of also meeting his beautiful wife Dr P ( cannot spell it!)
I'm so sorry I cannot make the memorial, I'm literally only finding out 45mins before. 😔
Much love to you all.

Proff. Bonnici will forever be in our hearts 💕

My son Ezekiel and I first met him when Ezekiel was 2years old [2001], when we discovered he had absolutely no testosterone.

Thank you for your empathy and humor as you supported us through our journey.

Ezekiel flourished in your care and I felt contained and safe.

We appreciated your authenticity and will always remember your charisma, board smile and ofcourse your pocket of balls and chest😉

Rest well Proff. You deserve it🙏🏻

You are always in our thoughts with love and gratitude💖💖💖

Love and healing to the family🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

We were a family from Kimberley who had the hard news that our daughter of seven had type 1 diabetes. It was badly controlled and we didn’t understand the disease enough to come to grips with it.
Finally meeting up with Dr Bonnici in the ward was a blessed discovery. His calm, humorous way of dealing with her taught her that she was in charge of her body and gave her hope and giggles.
His demeanour resulting from his knowledge and real care of his patients made him wonderfully accessible. I wonder whether his wife knows he assured us she was available when he was busy!?
We bypassed a diabetes specialist in Kimberley, and rather travelled to Cape Town to see Dr Bonnici to give us the advice needed for peace of mind. We are forever in his debt. His death/passing is such a loss.
We send deep consolation to his family, and treasure his memory.

from De Powell, Cathy's mother.

I met Dr. Bonnici as a diabetic child of about 10, and he was my adult diabetic specialist as well. I remember meeting another medical professional in Cape Town who had the theory that Dr. Bonnici loved his patients too much to pass them on to the next person. He just followed them through their lives. He was certainly a grounding force in mine.
He didn’t just love us; he delighted in us. I had the feeling that every consultation was a joy for him; a chance to chat and connect and solve a puzzle. I remember there was a time when I was seeing him the public health facility at Groote Schuur. It was a grim environment, as the hospital was run down, so the patients had long waits in grimy corridors with dirty toilets. But there was Bonnici at the end of it. Once, I got chatting to one of the other people in the queue about him and she smiled and said to me, ‘He makes you forget that you are sick.’
He taught me how diabetes works when I was a child and then informed me of updates in research every now and then. But he trusted me to do the job of diabetes care myself. I only realise now how much that did for me; how I ran my health as an agent and not a subordinate. In recent years, he would often sit quietly while Anke and I discussed problems and solutions. He let other people grow.
I loved the artlessly unprofessional unbuttoned shirts that he wore, his complete lack of airs and graces, how he would tell me about his own medical ailments while I was reporting on my own and how, when I was a child, he used to ask for a kiss on his cheek at the end of a session by tapping his cheek. Thinking back on it all fills me with such a sweet sadness.
I cannot imagine what his family is going through, but I know how dear you all were to him. I heard about some of his trips to help look after grandchildren and his concerns for his children. He loves you all dearly.
Your Dad and husband changed lives and many people around the world are grieving with you. I send condolences to Anke as well, who worked so closely with him for so long. You will all be living with a Bonnici-shaped hole beside you for months or years. His presence was so tangible that he won’t be going away any time soon. I wish all of you the comfort of happy memories and the time you need to grieve.
Cathy Powell

Good day,

I am Alison from Cape Town, I’ve been on my Diabetic journey with Prof for 17 years more or less and Prof was always an amazing specialist, always teaching me and encouraging me to try new insulin’s and the sensor, which was new at the time.

Prof was always uplifting me and praising my results and control, always making me feel special when other doctors would be pessimistic.

I’m really going to miss Prof, he will always be an amazing human professionally and personally.

Thank you for your service and guidance Prof. RIP

Strength to Dr Philotheou, another one of my amazing specialists in my journey, and the rest of the family during this difficult time.

Lots of love - Alison Goldman

My first meeting with Prof Bonnici has remained bright for the 20 odd years he treated me for T1D. I was a struggling musician in the public health system and no stranger to the etiquette of long queues at public hospitals. No late comers and definitely no queue jumpers or all hell would break loose. So as I sat in line in the corridor for my first visit I could hear the jaunty loose whistle as Prof arrived for his consultations. There was an older African man, seated maybe 10th in line. The Prof grabbed his hand to shake it and, at the same time, pulled the man up and jovially marched him into his room chatting all the while. There was no uproar, not even a comment from the patients in line. I thought what a gent, what style - how cool is this guy? He cares.
I was to learn over the next 20 odd years how great an endocrinologist and human being the Prof was.
Subsequently I would continue to see Francois at UCT private hospital and it was always a longish wait, usually accompanied by gales of laughter and chatter wafting through the door. It was so special to realise that every single patient was treated with respect and understanding as a real person with unique challenges. He never judged but with humble respect he guided us through our diabetic and other lives. I have lived with Diabetes for 53 years and that is in no small way a result of the guidance and care I received from Prof Bonnici and Sister Anke. Viva Prof Bonnici viva and long life to your family. I will miss you so very much.

I came to Prof as a young adult living with diabetes since I was 5 who had been through endless doctors who never really understood how emotions affected your control. I thought oh yay here comes another one… but Prof and Sr Anke broke down all those walls I had built!
Always telling me I am in control and I can do better. Constantly asking, are you still living alone? Find a room mate to help you in case you don’t wake up.
Always caring, laughing, smiling and calling me beautiful. And those buttoned down shirts will never be forgotten.
A man that cared endlessly, worked tirelessly to make every person he touched lives better.
Thank you for all you have done and taught me over the years! You were a once in a lifetime kind of person!!
My deepest condolences to your family.

Patient that moved to Joburg and still returned to see Prof 🌻

Coming home from college in the United States in 2004, where I had been diagnosed with diabetes, I was expecting to find the usual style of New York endocrinologist: judgy and hard to work with. Instead, I got Prof B, whose relaxed and caring attitude was like a thunderbolt! Regularly hearing him say, "I'm happy. Why don't you try..." took me from wildly uncontrolled diabetes-as-an-afterthought to tightly-controlled, sustainable, and healthy. I owe Prof B so much.

I have got to Know Francois (Prof) over two decades as a patient. Our engagements went beyond the clinical aspects of my bi annual check ups and the research trials I participated in. Our discussions in history,
engineering, cuisine, music gave him much pleasure and I looked forward to each and every encounter as he enriched my life and those around him. We were part of an extended family. His concern for children heath globally caused him great concern. Words cannot describe the profound sense of loss of a person who gave so much to the world. He took solace in his beloved family and their achievements. His home was Cape Town, but Africa was his soul.
I got to know about his life from the early days of his childhood and he about mine. A shared experience of pure joy.

A young 29 year old mom with a 2 year old newly diagnosed diabetic boy, where it felt like the world was caving in and there was SO MUCH information being thrown at me, we were referred to Prof.
It was like entering the arms of a grandpa whom we had never known, but he knew us and he took the FULL burden of our diabetic journey off our shoulders.
He LOVED Zach, we walked a journey of approximately 12 years with Prof. (and Anke by his side), and for ALL the worries in the world, he would say ‘you’re doing a good job, but you going to learn to do better’.
Zach could do NO WRONG in his eyes and he remembered every fine detail that was shared with him at our appointments, that he would reference back to them months down the line when we would see him again.

His absolute passion, drive and love to find the BEST for his patients was extremely welcoming, it was like having your own army in your corner when having to approach medical aids for devices, equipment or different insulin.

Prof. you were loved and you were pure love♥️
Rest well and watch over our Zachy - you told him to go and make SA in his sports, not because he’s diabetic, but because he’s diabetic and good, so I hope you’re going to be proud!

Condolences to Prof’s family - thank you for sharing him with us, we will forever be greatful
🤍🌈

After waiting nervously for 8 hours at the GSH diabetes clinic in 1986 after hearing growls of concern, shrieks of delight and silent whispers of warning the nutty Prof B came bursting out the consulation room with a quaff of hair being throw beyond his forehead and he took one look at me and said: "Ha, a new diabetic, now here is somebody we can teach properly". I was lectured for 4 hours with great passion and care which made me take ownership of my condition for life. The care and support from Prof B and Dr Areti is legendary. Their passion for care and self sufficiency of their patients will live in my heart forever. I cannot speak of him in the past tense as he has put a little bit of himself in all our hearts and minds which will never be lost. I can just imagine the consultations going on at the moment on the other side of the creek😆.

I have been a type 1 diabetic for 42 years. I looked up Prof Bonnici when I started researching an insulin pump and didn't get much joy with other physicians.
I immediately fell in love with the amazing, fun loving and larger than life character that is Francois Bonnici. It was such a pleasure to do my 6 monthly visit with him and joke around a bit.
Shortly after getting my insulin pump, the pump failed and I phoned Prof B in a state of panic to ask what to do. He calmly explained the procedure and then asked me "How is your hair?" I thought "How does my hair have anything to do with it???". I answered "My hair is fine, thank you" to which he gave his naughty little giggle and said "Well then. As long as a woman's hair is fine and looks good, all is good!".
He will forever live on in my memory as one of the greatest people I ever had the privilege to meet and befriend.

Patient for 21 years

Words along cannot describe the impact that Prof has had on my life.

His incredible ability to be strict and straightforward and at the same time understanding and caring pushed me to manage my Diabetes well.

I will never forget him saying I need to get a partner so that I have someone that I want to manage may Diabetes well for.

I am sure my now Wife appreciates the impact Prof has had on my life and I am glad he was able to give her a talk as well.

I will never forget the fond memories and I am sure his legacy will live long in the minds of the many people whose life's he has touched over the years.

Thank you for everything.

My heartfelt condolences to Dr Areti and family and the huge diabetes sphere around the globe.

I had the honor as a Sister to be introduced and being setup in practice as an independent Diabetes Educator in Paarl Western Cape by Prof Bonnici.

Many afternoons he drove especially from Sea Point to Paarl to support, encourage and advise me on the next step. His famous words were “what you did was good and correct but consider next time this.” Needless to say, I was corrected and had learned again.

His passion for Diabetes Educators is one of Prof Bonnici’s greatest legacies and will surely be missed by all of us in time to come.

May God’s love support you as family in this time of bereavement.
Rest in peace Prof!
I will miss you!
Kamaretha Beckert.

Prof was the best possible doctor I could have been sent to in 1988, when I was diagnosed with diabetes. He was always ready to share his experiences and seldom showed signs of sympathy. His comment to me was, “Control your diabetes and don’t let your diabetes control you!” I have held to his advice ever since.

Prof. and his wife showed such a personal passion in treating and researching diabetes, that it was a privilege to be involved with them in the studies.

I will forever be grateful to Prof for the positive input he had on my life.

Prof , were does one start.Thank you for every singel thing you and your wife has learned me!You played a big roll in my life.Your skills and knowledge has left a beautiful footprint for all. May your family be blessed with all the amazing memories you left behind. You will be missed.

My journey started with Prof in 1999. I am truly grateful to have been under his care. I was devastated when I was told he is no longer seeing patients. It took me some time getting use to seeing someone else in his chair.ive had the opportunity to do trials with prof and his wife. And he will always be remembered. Condolences to the family. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you. Rest in peace Prof🤍🤍

I've been a patient of Prof since 14 years of age, now 37. I have a fond memory of him and Anke doing an online consult during COVID, in which he said 'you doing good you always do good!' He was always so encouraging, casual and invested in my life stories about family. He will be missed and fondly remembered for his contribution in managing my diabetes. Rest in Peace Prof!

Thank You Prof, my words cannot express the heartache when the news was broken, you were an amazing person. When i met you, you made me feel special. You always told me that this is a guideline, you are the one living with it. You made me look forward to doctor visits, the whistling, the joy on your face when your patients progress and improve their lifestyles. You suggested i get a tattoo as a medical aid bracelet😄😄😄 but my response was, i cant because there will be a cure because you were constantly looking at ways to improve and change lifestyles around diabetes...You and your wife has made a huge impact in my life, the way you worked as a team, as colleagues and as parents, a memory that will be cherished. You will be missed dearly....The smile, the laughter, the joy.
You were loved by many and your memories will remain in our hearts forever.

My journey with Prof started in 2003 soon after I was diagnosed with T1D and Dr Areti the next year for a trial. I remember Prof calling me Bella and that pet name stuck until my last conversation with him. He had a unique ability to make anyone feel special with his genuine warmth, infectious smile and open collar unbuttoned shirt. His intelligence and wit were unparalleled, and his unwavering loyalty and dedication to motivate and teach me to be an expert and advocate on diabetes for myself and others is testament to the kind of person he was. Prof's impact on my life will never be forgotten. Today I feel as I lost a friend. Although he is no longer with us physically, his spirit will live on through the countless memories.

May his memory and fighting spirit be a source of comfort to Dr Areti and the loved ones , my deepest condolences to you all.

Prof had been my doctor since arriving in Cape Town in 2005 to study. He was so different to all the other doctors I had seen before in that he never presumed to know more about my disease than me. He often said “you are the expert in your diabetes and I learn the most from my patients”. He was always more interested in finding out how I am doing and catching up on news about my children, than making recommendations for treatment. He would fill me in on the latest research and evidence and then let me make the decisions with regards to my health. He regarded me as a person (with diabetes) rather than a diabetic. He will always have my respect and he has shaped the way that I approach my patients today.

My heartfelt condolences to all who knew Prof Bonnici and especially his family.

I only had a short while on this earth with my beloved "Proffie" but what a profound impact he still has on my life.

Prof saw me as a type 1 diabetic as well as hypo pituitarism. He was initially very interested in the effect the last mentioned had on my diabetic retinopathy as well as the use of Growth hormone replacement had on it. It confirmed something he was studying, I think, but it sealed the deal for a wonderful medical relationship.

He was the kind of doctor who did his last consultation with me from his own hospital bed via zoom in order to "ok" my use of an insulin pump to treat my adrenal failure after I presented my research on pump therapy by Prof Hindmarch in Ireland.

He also gave me boxes full of consumables for use with the pumps (I wear 2 pumps) that was sitting in storage with Anke.

Every 3 days I change my needles (given by him) while remembering him humming a little song while he listened to my stories, questions and gave advice.

He touched my life for ever. May we meet again in heaven.

Prof was a registrar when I was admitted to E1 in 1975, having been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. He was my consulting endocrinologist from them on, apart from the 14 years I spent in Joburg. He was always so committed to helping diabetics, loved to share information on new developments and selflessly chose to work in a public hospital serving ordinary people in spite of his immense stature as a leading figures in diabetes treatment both locally and abroad. He always ran late, even for his first appointment of the day, but we all knew when he was on his way because of the happy whistling that preceded him down the corridors. Generous with his time and sincere with his compassion - A truly great man.
Rest in Peace, Prof, I will miss you. 😢

Thank you Prof Bonnici and Areti for the wonderful memories over the past 30 years. I will always remember the "nik naks" stories we shared. Your love, support, concern and guidance to me as your patient will always be remembered. My sincere condolences and may God strengthen the family at this sad time of bereavement.

Even though I left Cape Town more than 32 years ago, I vividly recall the years we spent working together and how fortunate I was to have had such a remarkable mentor and friend. I remember so well the teaching rounds in the Pediatric Endocrine Unit and the children who were referred from all over the country with rare disorders to “The Professor”, and the adult diabetes and endocrine clinics where Francois “held court” with patients, students and registrars who learned so much from him. How rare it was to be able to take care of people of all ages, from infancy through adulthood and how gifted a clinician and teacher Francois was!

His dedication and commitment to patients, his empathy and concern for their well-being, and his quiet, unassuming and humble manner was something that I was lucky enough to observe firsthand and continue to talk about and try to emulate to this day.

Above all else, Francois was a “family man” – dedicated to his wife, children and
grandchildren of whom he was so proud. He knew all about work – life balance,
focusing on family, and taking so much pride in the achievements of Areti, Gigi and
“young” Francois. He found time to do this and spend time with his patients, trying to
improve the lives of so many people.

His casual manner too was so endearing, and little did he know that he would be a
“trendsetter” wearing open neck shirts half unbuttoned, driving his red sports car to and from work on Beach Road, Sea Point.

Francois, we will all miss you, but the wonderful memories will remain with us, and your legacy will live on through your dedicated and brilliant children and grandchildren.

Remembering François, THE UNFORGETTABLE

A lifelong relationship which started in Alexandria, in the midst of WWII.
In the basement of his family home [a villa), there was a ping pong table, where Francesco & Petro were very keen in playing to the point of becoming ferocious opponents. Thankfully & hopefully, we were enjoying our wins and remaining gracious in our defeats. An early character trait that marks how a person would or could be acting later on, in life. If you asked me about the competitiveness of our encounters, I will summarize it by stating, we each had 1000 wins & 1000 defeats.

After our time in Alexandria, we were able to resume playing in sea-point from 1962-1966. In addition, we were rushing during our free time towards Clifton beach to play with beach bats until exhaustion before diving into the sea. Sports & family love helped us create a lifelong bond which has contributed to develop a sound lifetime friendship.

He also, if you ever wondered, had a sweet tooth, enjoying Mediterranean desserts. A subject requiring lots of written lines.

We met when possible and we kept in touch until the end.

You have been a wonderful cousin, Francesco. May you rest in peace until we meet again.

PETRO