23 Facts About Els Borst

Els Borst was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 21 December 2012.

Els Borst worked as director of the blood bank at the University Medical Center Utrecht from 1969 until 1976.

Els Borst served as the University Medical Center Utrecht hospital administrator from 1976 until 1985.

Els Borst was selected as Vice Chairwoman of the Health Council, serving from 1 January 1986 until 22 August 1994.

Els Borst served as a professor of medical ethics at the University of Amsterdam from 1 July 1992 until 22 August 1994.

Els Borst was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives and became the Parliamentary leader of the Democrats 66 in the House of Representatives on 19 May 1998.

Els Borst stepped down as Leader of the Democrats 66 and Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives in favor of Thom de Graaf on 30 May 1998.

In 2001 Els Borst announced her retirement from national politics and that she would not stand for the election of 2002.

Els Borst continued to comment on political affairs as a stateswoman until her death on 8 February 2014 when she was murdered by a mentally unstable man in her home.

Els Borst attended the Barlaeus Gymnasium of Amsterdam graduating in 1950.

Subsequently, Els Borst worked as a resident physician at the hospital Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis in Amsterdam where she specialized in pediatric medicine and immunohaematology.

In 1965 Els Borst started writing her doctoral thesis, while working as a medical scientist at Utrecht University, researching immunohaematology.

Els Borst held several other positions in the medical world: she was chairperson of the College for Blood Transfusion as well as of the Committee on Research in Medical Ethics.

In 1976, for instance, when the Democrats 66 had lost nearly all its members and performed particularly bad in the polls, Els Borst was a volunteer in the promotion and revitalization campaign of the party, led by Jan Terlouw.

In 1994, Els Borst became minister of Health for the Democrats 66 in the First cabinet of Wim Kok.

Els Borst faced political problems preparing the Dutch medical system for the aging of the population.

Els Borst held many positions in public life, serving as member of the Remembrance of the Dead and Liberation Day Committees.

Els Borst held many positions in the medical world: she was chairperson of the board of NIVEL, chairperson of the Federation of Dutch Cancer Patients Organizations and chair of the advisory board of the Brain Foundation of the Netherlands.

Els Borst was found dead on the evening of 10 February 2014 in the garage at her home in Bilthoven by two close friends.

On 1 September 2015 the Public Prosecution Service released a statement that Els Borst died from forty-one stab wounds to her head, neck and hands.

Els Borst said he killed his sister because they had different opinions on abortion and euthanasia.

Later he stated he had no intention to kill Mrs Els Borst, but wanted to ask her the address of former prime minister Wim Kok.

When she refused to give the address, he remembered Els Borst had been responsible for the policy on euthanasia.