Freecall 1800 802 568Thanks to…
The Association sincerely thanks Queensland Health for its generous support which enables us to provide our services.
What is Myasthenia Gravis?
(Definition courtesy of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, USA)
Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body. The name myasthenia gravis, which is Latin and Greek in origin, literally means "grave muscle weakness." With current therapies, however, most cases of myasthenia gravis are not as "grave" as the name implies. In fact, for the majority of individuals with myasthenia gravis, life expectancy is not lessened by the disorder.
The hallmark of myasthenia gravis is muscle weakness that increases during periods of activity and improves after periods of rest. Certain muscles such as those that control eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, chewing, talking, and swallowing are often, but not always, involved in the disorder. The muscles that control breathing and neck and limb movements may also be affected.
Myasthenia gravis occurs in all ethnic groups and both genders. It most commonly affects young adult women (under 40) and older men (over 60), but it can occur at any age.
Who are we and what are our objectives?
The objectives of the Association are to be a support group for sufferers of Myasthenia Gravis (MG), and to raise awareness of MG and raise funds for research into MG.
Formed in 1991 we have been recognized by QUEENSLAND HEALTH as the peak body for MYASTHENICS in Queensland. We are an Incorporated Association (IA10040) and a Registered Charity (CH1212), and our ABN is 92 055 613 137.
The Management Committee is comprised entirely of volunteers and the Association has no paid staff.
The Association has available a variety of brochures and leaflets for the education and assistance of Myasthenics, their carers, friends and families, and also produces ‘Medi-Alert’ cards for MG sufferers.