Vale Patrick Moore (1939-2023)

Patrick Moore, a board member of the Charles Bonnet syndrome Foundation since its inception in 2012, regrettably passed away last month. 

 

 

 

Patrick was born in Birmingham, UK. He lived and worked in Coventry for the early phase of his adult life in the automotive industry (Alvis Car Company, Triumph, Rolls Royce). He attributed the relocating of his family to Melbourne, Australia in the early 1980s as due to the advent of Thatcherism. Patrick continued to work in the automotive industry in Melbourne (Nissan Australia) and eventually assumed the role of Industrial Officer within the personnel department.

In 1991, Patrick discovered that he had a rare form of macular disease. He noticed over the coming months that he struggled to find useful information about his condition. Further, he came to discover that the same issue befell those diagnosed with the more common macular degeneration. Frustrated by the lack of quality information, Patrick founded the Macular Vision Loss Support Society of Australia (MVLSSA) in 1994. He was to be the president of the Society for the following 23 years. Before the age of the internet and smart phones, the MVLSSA successfully spread accurate and up-to-date information about macular disease. One of the primary goals of the MVLSSA was to channel all monies received into furthering research into the condition. Patrick and his team lived up to its lofty goal: over $750,000 was raised over two decades and cutting edge technology was subsequently purchased for the Eye and Ear hospital in Melbourne. 

During his time as president, he was one of the first to openly speak about Charles Bonnet syndrome. He was aware that it was an internalised secret that many of his members did not discuss. Patrick had various guest speakers talk on the subject of CBS to its members. He was instrumental in bringing the condition out of the shadows where it had lurked for way too long. And this matter was also very personal for Patrick as he too lived with the syndrome. One of his recurring phantom images was of plants - possibly ivy - that seemed to quickly sprout from his TV and rapidly climb up the walls towards the ceiling. 

Patrick came on board when the idea of the Charles Bonnet syndrome Foundation was first mooted. Over the past decade, Patrick was dedicated to the CBS cause. He met with parliamentarians and peak medical body representatives to try to instigate much needed change in the eye health care sector. He also was a huge advocate for raising CBS awareness in residential aged care services where he felt the syndrome was chronically overlooked. 

 

 

Patrick was 83 and is survived by his son, daughter-in-law, Brig and two grandchildren, Chris and Shanae.