Vedrana Rudan dies at 76; asked for a private farewell
The Croatian writer had been battling a rare form of bile duct cancer and spoke openly about illness and euthanasia.
Vedrana Rudan, the outspoken Croatian novelist and columnist, has died at the age of 76 after a long fight with a rare form of cancer (bile duct cancer). Her passing was followed by an emotional short message on her official Facebook page: "Vedrana has gone to an area without signal."
Rudan disclosed her diagnosis in May 2024 and thereafter largely withdrew from public life. Her last on-camera appearance was on the programme Nedela vo 2 on March 2, 2025, where she spoke candidly about illness, mortality and her support for euthanasia.
Final wishes and private farewell
Her wish was to be buried in the closest family circle, and the time and place of the funeral will not be made public. That request will be respected, and the ceremony is expected to remain private.
In the final entries on her blog, Rudan wrote unflinchingly about the pain, the daily struggle and strained relationships with relatives. One of her last posts read: "I have been calling death as I have for a year and a half. In vain. It is an unimaginable horror to die of cancer… In that hell there are also ice cubes — the nurses who care for us and smile while we look like skeletons."
Rudan rarely appeared on broadcasts after announcing her illness, but when she did she did not soften her voice. Addressing those who followed her work, she said she felt immortal and asked that her death be understood "as a departure to an area without signal."
Through dozens of books, thousands of columns and a long career in regional literature and journalism, Rudan leaves a notable imprint on readers across the region.
Photo: press material from the event
