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Ides Dehaene died on 18 April 2018. He was born in Bruges in November 1941 as the second son of the neuropsychiatrist Albert Dehaene; his older brother would later become prime minister of Belgium. As he was not so rebellious as his brother, he was allowed to go to Greek–Latin High School at the Sint Lodewijkscollege in Bruges. In 1966, he obtained his degree of medical doctor at the Catholic University of Leuven magna cum laude. From September 1966 to August 1968, he specialized in neurology and psychiatry at the St. Radboud Hospital, Catholic University of Nijmegen (The Netherlands) under Prof. Dr. J. J. G. Prick. From August 1968 to August 1970, he went to the Academic Hospital St. Raphael of the Catholic University of Leuven (Prof. Dr. Raymond Vandenbergh) for further specialization in neurology. He stayed 1 more year at Leuven during the absence of Herwig Carton. In July 1971, he was appointed as neurologist at the General Hospital St. Jan in Bruges.

His aim was to build a department of neurology of high quality at St. Jans hospital, at the same clinical level as university departments. When the medieval hospital in the centre of the town was left for a modern building at the outskirts in 1976, he urged to split the old department of neuropsychiatry in two new entities, so that both neurology and psychiatry could develop independently at their own pace. I remember him as an astute clinician, who approached his patients/clients with empathy. He acknowledged the necessity of clinical research and engaged in clinical trials, most notably in the European Carotid Surgical Trial under the inspired influence of Charles Warlow. The growing importance of imaging in neurological diagnosis did not escape his attention: he actively supported the development of neuroradiology at the hospital, in collaboration with Jan Casselman. He was also an exceptional teacher: many Flemish neurologists were trainee or registrar under his baton, and will remember his enthusiasm and scientific rigor. He was especially interested in neuro-ophthalmology and neuro-otology. At the end of his career, he developed an interest in cognition, and set up a multidisciplinary memory clinic. His scientific output amounts to 100 articles.

Ides Dehaene also acknowledged the necessity of broader contacts at the Flemish and the Belgian levels. He had excellent contacts with many heads of department and colleagues. He was head of neurology at St. Jans hospital in Bruges from 1985 till 2000. He became president of the Belgian Neurological Society in 1990–1991 and co-editor of Acta Neurologica Belgica. After his retirement in 2006, he withdraw from clinical neurology, but remained fascinated by neurosciences and by the mechanisms of consciousness. He developed an increasing interest in philosophy, especially in neurophenomenology. Bridging the gap between the neurosciences and philosophy was his ultimate purpose. He also took time for his hobbies (photography, reading, and gardening) and for his grandchildren. The verdict of an incurable disease came as a fatal blow. He is survived by his wife, three sons, and eight grandchildren. He will be remembered as one of the founding fathers of modern Flemish and Belgian neurology.