BrAVO

 

 

 

  • The British Association of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (BrAVO) is for Veterinary Surgeons in the UK and beyond who have a special interest in ophthalmology.

  • BrAVO was established to educate and train Veterinary Surgeons in veterinary ophthalmology, and to promote the practice, teaching and research of animal ophthalmology.

  • Travel Scholarships for members

BrAVO Winter Meeting 2010

Whittlebury Hall

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Dr Keith Barnett OBE
19th April 1929 – 10th March 2009

Dr Keith Barnett, who died aged 79 after collapsing at the Animal Health Trust, has been described as a “remarkable and wonderful man” by his colleagues. He dedicated his life to canine ophthalmology and improving the health of dogs all over the world. He had a special interest in hereditary eye disease and, despite officially retiring in 1996, returned to the Animal Health Trust in 1997, where he continued to work, and enjoy life, right to the end.

Extended obituary and tributes
Memorial Service arrangements and map

Special Memorial Edition of the Globe


Tribute from the British Association of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (BrAVO)

Keith was awarded honorary Life Membership at the 2003 meeting of the British Association of Veterinary Ophthalmologists held in Cambridge in conjunction with ECVO/ESVO. At the meeting he gave us a very entertaining synopsis of his career, which obviously continued for several years after this date. He would frequently attend our meetings, from the fledgling sessions attended by a couple of dozen at most, to our recent sell-out weekend gatherings, and would always be dominant in any discussions following the oral presentations!

He was always great fun socially – and since most BrAVO meetings have a dinner or banquet where the wine flows freely many of us remember well (or not quite so well) Keith chatting expansively over a whole variety of subjects! All BrAVO members held Keith in tremendous regard – he was the leader as far as we were concerned and his contribution to Veterinary Ophthalmology is so vast as to be almost incomprehensible! His passing is a loss to us all.

By Sally Turner, on behalf of the BrAVO Committee (Christine Heinrich, Claudia Hartley, Jim Carter, Heidi Featherstone, David Gould, Tim Knott, Rob Lowe and David Williams) and all BrAVO members

Tribute from the Animal Health Trust

Keith founded the Unit of Comparative Ophthalmology at the Animal Health Trust in 1975. He later established the Centre for Small
Animal Studies (CSAS) and was instrumental in the development of the CSAS building we have today. He officially retired in 1996, but his love of ophthalmology drew him back as a part time consultant three days a week.

As a man he was charming, placid and humorous, I have yet to meet anyone who disliked him. Even if you were having a bad day, with difficult clients, or patients with depressing diseases, he could bring out a smile or laugh in you. He an enormously generous spirit, especially with his time and experience to the benefit of all he taught. I have worked at the Trust for five years, and Keith and Jane supervised my residency which I completed in 2007. Keith and I shared a similar sense of humour, the highlight of my day would be to achieve one of Keith’s giggles at something wicked and funny. During several of his regular ECVO eye certificate clinics we would
sit in the consult room between cases discussing lesions and nuances of diagnosis. The two of us would soon end up giggling about some shared mirth. He was easily recognisable with a full head of white hair, ruddy cheeks, smiling face and trademark tweed trousers. He was a big man, both in stature and reputation. Always approachable, he is a lesson to all of us in giving back to our profession for the benefit of us all.

Every person that has met Keith, been taught by him, or worked alongside him has gained something special. The day of his death, he remarked to Jane how good he was feeling, the best he had for months. He had thoroughly enjoyed Crufts the week before, and was telling the Trust’s head secretary, Karen Bond, about the event. He commented that he was feeling slightly dizzy and Karen got him a chair and offered him a glass of water. He admonished her for fussing, in his usual Yorkshire way, and continued with his humorous story. Moments later he slumped in the chair and lost consciousness. Our anaesthesia team undertook CPR until the ambulance service
arrived at astonishing speed. He never regained consciousness and Jane said her final goodbyes to him at the hospital 40minutes later.
I think the Trust’s heart broke open that day, a devastating shock and incalculable loss to every one of us. He did not suffer, and a part of me thinks he would have been pleased to have been working up to the day he died, such was his passion for ophthalmology. The grief is still raw for all of us, especially for Jane who shared twenty years of her life with him. I wish I had known him longer, he was a lesson to all of us on how to teach, inspire and be a gentleman.

Claudia Hartley


This Site is maintained in memory of Andrew Hoey - its creator and our friend