If you would like to add a tribute for Trudi, please email it to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Denise Fisher

One of my earliest memories of Trudi was at the 2000 IBLCE examination. Between the two papers Trudi’s husband Frank brought their baby Tim along to be breastfed. One of the questions must have related to a positioning or latch point, so we observed young Tim breastfeeding, still arguing the correct response to the question.

As a Health e-Learning tutor Trudi and I often spoke, discussing clinical and scientific issues. She was a great researcher and questioned anything that she didn’t feel sounded just right. Her contribution to Health e-Learning was greatly appreciated, and we often received emails from students commenting on how much Trudi assisted their learning. I feel very privileged that Trudi continued to tutor her courses through the thick and thin of her battle with cancer, posting her last forum posting the week before she lost her valiant battle.

However, as a friend is how I wish most to remember Trudi. She was passionate, caring, funny, happy and eternally optimistic. She was a lot of fun to be with and I loved the long discussions we had covering everything from politics to books to mothering and everything about life that mattered in between.

Trudi was a wonderful person and a friend I knew too briefly. I will miss her.

Sue Cox AM, RM, IBCLC

At the time I first met Trudi she was a member of the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) Board of Directors. She picked me up at the airport to take me to an ABA counsellor weekend. She was such an easy person to talk to and in the hour long drive from the airport I learnt a great deal about this very special woman. She was quietly but firmly spoken and her opinions all had incredible reasoning to them. She was passionate about caring for women's bodies during pregnancy, labour and birth and even more passionate about the right of the baby to breastfeed and what changes were necessary to make this easier for mothers and babies.

I was delighted that when I became a facilitator for Health e-Learning that Trudi was also on the staff. She was a very supportive colleague and often sent me articles which I could use in my courses. We regularly looked after each others courses if family holidays or breaks were necessary and her posts on the forums while I was away were always personal and chatty to the students - you could almost imagine you were sitting there and talking to her instead of reading what she had written. In the first week of May, 2008 Trudi looked after my courses while I holidayed - little did I know that she would die five weeks later.

I will miss this beautifully committed woman - committed to Frank, her husband, and her special children, committed to her friends, committed to her colleagues and committed to what she passionately believed in - the best start in life for the children and adults of tomorrow.

Bridget Ingle

Like so many others in this area of work, my first meeeting with Trudi was through the Nursing Mothers' Assoc. She threw herself into her local group and fairly quickly became the name who so many of us knew for getting involved in so many things. Our paths continued to cross over the years. I remember going to offer lollies and support at lunchtime for the IBLCE exam one year - Trudi was a candidate and was sitting on a rock breastfeeding her very chubby toddler! That was the exam that she achieved the world's top mark - she looked so calm. Trudi then became involved with the Queensland Branch of ALCA and quickly made more new friends. She was like a walking encyclopaedia at meetings: she could always remember the research and who wrote it long after the rest of us all had forgotten it.

Trudi was blessed with an unmistakable sense of humour, a raconteur who often made the most fun by joking about herself. The whole room was held captive while she told her stories. She oozed love for her family and for her work with breastfeeding education and support.

Denise, Trudi and I attended the ISRHML conference in Perth at the beginning of the year. We learned lots and had heaps of laughs. I have photos of a smiling Trudi and that is how I will remember her. When I joined Health-e-learning, I always read Trudi's postings because they were full of interest and intelligence. It seems that so many people have been touched by Trudi. We all have a different story to tell about our memories of her. She would want us all to stay committed to standing up for mothers, babies and breastfeeding. So if you have been touched by Trudi, make her proud by continuing your work in the field of lactation. Strive to learn as much as you can and share your knowledge with others. I think Trudi would like that.

Anne-Sophie Gerin

Well, I am Anso and I was not a colleague of Trudi. But I permit myself to write to all of you to send you my best comfort in the disappearance of your colleagues and friend. As a student, I have enjoy a lot reading her articles and I can imagine she was really committed to her job, it must have help her in her fight to have great fun and nice colleagues like you guys, to share time with. No doubts!

But above all, my sentiments go for her children, to who I address particular wish of strengths in these terrible moments... me too I lost my dear mummy when I was very young, in the same fight! On this matter, I can say: I KNOW, I know how painful the depart of a mummy is. I know how unfair it is when fighting for many causes in the world, and losing against cancer... but, I also know we can't go back, and stronger then our anger, we pray for this new star shining in the sky, and we wish she rest in peace, ...yes, in peace with all the others "up there" ...and believe that her whispers and memory of lullabies will always support her children when they need and miss her ...along their all life.

With a lot of tenderness,

Sincerely
Anso

Dianne Muir

As a student I have only known Trudi through Health-e-learning and loved the smiling happy photo on the website and the responses she gave to my queries. My heart goes out to her husband and her children. I too lost my mother to cancer so I feel for them at this time. To Denise and the rest of the team your tributes to Trudi show just how much she meant to all of you and how much she will be missed.

My thoughts are with you all.

Barbara Aherne

Although I didn't know her I am sorry to just have read about the passing of one of your colleagues. She looked a lovely vibrant person, and it is sad when someone so young dies.

Valerie Thompson

I only new Trudi from her very supportive and informative emails through my health e-learning course, but she sounds like a very beautiful lady, committed to her family and to her colleagues and students through her passion for breastfeeding.
My heart goes out to her husband and children. May they find comfort in knowing that our thoughts are with them at this time. I know she will be watching over them.
RIP.

Carole Dobrich

I met Trudi for the first time at the ISRHML conference in Perth at the beginning of this year. We walked and talked together many mornings and evenings as we ventured to and from the conference grounds. She truly was full of knowledge. I was introduced to Trudi by Denise and Bridget and I am thankful that I had the opportunity to share time with her. We sat next to each other at the ISRHML gala dinner and had a wonderful evening sharing conversations and dancing with our friends and colleagues. I have beautiful photos of that evening and Trudi looks radiant. Thank you Trudi for sharing a small part of your life with me and I will continue “Dancing in the Rain”.

Janette Brooke

I was a fellow Queenslander (Australian) and candidate with Trudi at the exam in 2000. I have never forgotten and never will, her husband Frank, travelling a 3 hour round trip from their home to the exam site to let Tim have a breastfeed in our lunch break, between the 2 x 3 hour papers. I can not add to the beautiful tributes to Trudi posted by Denise, Sue and Bridget. I can only reiterate their sentiments.
We have already missed Trudi and will continue to do so at our monthly ALCA, Branch meetings. Her guidance and direction was invaluable. The amazing strength of Trudi's loving family and friends contributing to her Memorial Service last Saturday was evident, in part, I am sure to the strength they received from Trudi's ongoing spiritual presence. I endorse your suggestion Bridget, to all of us who have been touched by Trudi. She has surely inspired us all.

Colleen Brigden

I first met Trudi while preparing for the IBLCE exam on Health-e-learning in 2006. Of course I had heard about her through the Breastfeeding Network and was aware of her presence at Conferences. I was quite in awe of this wonderful lady! Trudi was a great support as a Tutor and I always looked forward to her responses to questions I asked.....so clever and always with a happy smiling face attached! I was then privileged to be part of ALCA QLD with Trudi as our President. Once again Trudi was inspiring, professional and FUN. You will be missed Trudi but not forgotten.

Lisa Mason

I didn't have the privilege to meet Trudi, but from what I have read from the tributes to her she was a wonderful person! My thoughts and prayers are with her friends and family at this difficult time.

Lynda Lee

In the midst of preparing for the exam 2008 I read this moving tribute to Trudi. I was priviledged to have met Trudi during Timothy's pregnancy when Sarah Buckley referred her to me for some pregancy massages in preparation of a homebirth Trudi had researched and wanted after 2 hospital births. I can still recall Trudi sharing this. Frank, being an ENT surgeon, was only comfortable in supporting her if she allowed him to put in a cannula when labour commences. At the post-natal visit, I heard that Frank had become Ipwich's town crier recommending that every woman consider a homebirth....it was indeed a totally beautiful homebirth and if my memory is not too scratchy Timothy was a breech waterbirth! Trudi was well researched about her desire to have a homebirth; she had tremendous love and support from her friend cum GP/Obstetrician Sarah Buckley and midwife attending and last but not least her loving husband and the 2 girls around her at the time of birth. I have no doubt Trudi will be well remembered in the homebirthing circle as well. I am very inspired to sit the exam in memory of her this year as I was at crossroads after doing the lactation course 2 years ago if I would sit and practice as a lactation consultant.

If you would like to add a tribute for Trudi, please email it to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .