August 31, 2023

Honoring Meredith Krutar: Friend of FACTS and Champion for Fertility Awareness

On August 23, 2023, a beloved member of our FACTS community, Meredith Krutar, passed away from breast cancer. As our hearts join her family, students, colleagues, and all who love her, we remember her with deep gratitude and honor her life.

From the early days of FACTS About Fertility, Meredith was at the heart of our mission, and played an instrumental role in our efforts to educate the next generation of nurses. She presented webinars across the country, facilitated FACTS elective case studies, and co-authored an article with us about the impact of the elective on medical and nursing student education. Despite a busy schedule as a family nurse practitioner and mother to seven children, she always made time for FACTS, keenly aware of the value of fertility awareness. Meredith and her husband had struggled with infertility, but after connecting with medical professionals trained in the Creighton Model, the couple was able to conceive naturally – triplets, followed by four more natural pregnancies!

“From the early days of FACTS About Fertility, Meredith Krutar was at the heart of our mission, and played an instrumental role in our efforts to educate the next generation of nurses.”

Medical management with fertility awareness-based methods changed her life and, as shared in this video, she felt compelled to spread the knowledge she hoped every woman and couple would gain. She lit up describing how learning about fertility awareness enhanced her nurse training and career. “This [knowledge] ignited a passion in me. I felt like this information was so critical for all women to know, for them to understand, and for them to have this as a choice for their family planning decisions.”

Meredith’s passion for fertility awareness came from a profound and genuine concern for the health and wellbeing of women, which was evident through her involvement with FACTS. Students on the FACTS elective praised her natural talent as a presenter and her ability to connect with them. She made sure everyone understood the material and had the opportunity to interact with the case studies. She always invited students to introduce themselves individually to foster relationships and build a sense of community. One student celebrated Meredith’s lecture as “an engaging case study, one of my favorite presentations we have had!” Another student described her as “a great presenter and lecturer!”

Meredith dedicated countless hours to advance the mission at FACTS, and did so enthusiastically. She collaborated with FACTS in 2019 and 2020 to offer the first fertility awareness elective for nursing students at Carroll College. She also served on the FACTS nursing curriculum planning committee and was instrumental in expanding FACTS educational opportunities. We are deeply saddened by this loss as we express our gratitude for her friendship and our appreciation for her contributions to FACTS, the field of fertility awareness, and women’s health. Many lives have been touched by her generous heart and unwavering commitment to education. We will always be grateful for her generosity and zeal for this important work, and her influence will always remain a driving force for what we do at FACTS.