National MSA Research

Margaret was a primary school teacher, throughout her professional life.  She enjoyed teaching children and the friendships she formed with colleagues. She was proud of her students’ accomplishments.  At home, she was an accomplished knitter and seamstress, and made her daughters’ wedding dresses. She enjoyed catching up with her extended family, many of whom lived interstate, as well as local friends. She was also incredibly resourceful, always great at fixing things and solving problems. Margaret loved learning new skills, whether it was playing bridge, mastering different card games, or learning golf and ballroom dancing.  

Post-retirement, Margaret enjoyed travel overseas and decided to move from the outer Melbourne suburbs into a townhouse bayside.  After a hip operation, her recovery did not proceed as expected.  She made a difficult decision to move out of the townhouse due to a spate of falls and difficulty with her activities of daily living.  She moved in with her youngest daughter and her family.  Margaret was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy in 2016, age 68 years. 

Margaret received in-home care and later transitioned to an aged care facility 5 months before her death, due to her increased physical deterioration.  Her mind however remained agile.  At age 73 years, Margaret died from Multiple System Atrophy, and in the weeks leading up to her death she suffered from a common complication aspiration pneumonia.

Margaret is the second eldest of 4 children and is survived by her younger sister, her 2 children and 4 darling grandchildren.