Vedrana Rudan, Croatian writer and columnist, dies at 77
The Croatian author and columnist died after a long battle with a rare bile duct cancer; the news was announced with a short message on her official page.
Veteran Croatian writer and columnist Vedrana Rudan has died at the age of 77, her official page announced with a short, metaphorical post: "Vedrana has gone to an area without signal."
Brave, public fight with illness
Rudan disclosed in May 2024 that doctors had diagnosed her with cancer of the bile ducts, a rare and aggressive disease. Despite the prognosis, she continued to write and speak openly about life as an oncology patient, publishing columns and texts until shortly before her death.
In one of her last posts Rudan expressed deep gratitude toward the oncology staff in Rijeka and reflected on the shared hardship of patients: "I am in the group of 'those for whom it is hardest'. Therefore I know that it is not hardest for me. I will die, others will die... I am not rich, and if I were, I would give everything I have to the nurses for their patience and care." Those words were published just over two weeks before her passing.
Medical teams treated Rudan with several approaches while she fought complications from therapy. She was also the first patient in the world to be given hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) specifically for complications caused by tumor treatment, a detail that attracted attention during her course of care.
Rudan made her mark with a blunt, satirical voice that many regarded as fearless and uncompromising. Over decades she produced bestsellers, sharp columns and stage adaptations of her work; her style and critiques of social hypocrisy won her devoted readers across the countries of the former Yugoslavia.
Her death has prompted numerous messages of condolence from readers, colleagues and public figures throughout the region. She leaves behind a literary legacy and memories of a public figure who remained outspoken to the end.
Photo: press material from the event
