It is with sorrow that I have to report the death of Daphne Crook, aged 91.  

Daphne was incorrectly diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1944, while her husband was serving with the Royal Air Force in France. Daphne struggled for five years – trying to cope with life as a wife and mother with two young children - until, in 1949, her illness was diagnosed as Myasthenia Gravis when she was referred to the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases by her GP.  Daphne then became a patient of the late Sir Geoffrey Keynes, who removed Daphne’s thymus gland. Keynes had performed the first thymectomy in UK as a treatment for Myasthenia Gravis at New End Hospital in 1939, just 10 years before Daphne’s operation. She made a quick recovery from the thymectomy, and with the characteristic determination and strength of character which endeared her to all her friends she set about living her life to the full. Daphne later became one of the first patients to receive Mestinon as a treatment for Myasthenia Gravis.

In those years before the MGA came into existence, the only organisation offering help to myasthenics was the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, and Daphne was soon involved in its work in the London Area. She was later a founder-member of the British Association of Myasthenics, and attended its very first meeting.

Later in life Daphne moved to Hampshire and became an enthusiastic member of the Hampshire Branch of MGA.  With her late husband Les she took an active part in many Branch activities.

Daphne’s intelligence, strength of character, enthusiasm and good humour over many years of involvement with sufferers from MG of all ages endeared her to everyone who met her and worked with her. She set a shining example to the many young women who were afflicted by Myasthenia Gravis, and showed that it was possible to live a full life while dealing with the problems it causes. It gave me great personal pleasure last year to present her, on behalf of the members of MGA, with the MGA’s Gold Award for achievement in the service of sufferers from Myasthenia Gravis.

Daphne will be greatly missed by the MGA community, all her other friends, and by her large extended family of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.