Edithvale mum dies from motor neurone disease seven weeks after diagnosis

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Joanne Quin died last week, just seven weeks after being diagnosed with the condition.

Her grandfather, father, aunt and 38-year-old cousin all succumbed to the “bastard” degenerative disease.

Sister Lyndal Payne told Leader that Joanne knew exactly what lay ahead as soon as her first symptoms appeared, in September.

“But she just cracked on — she was really, really brave and more concerned about other people,” Ms Payne said.

“But this hideous disease takes no prisoners and however hard she fought, it found a way to defeat her.”

Despite her rapid deterioration, and being forced to use a feeding tube and breathing machine, Joanne stayed positive and enjoyed every possible moment with her husband Matt and daughters Zara, 10 and Scarlett, 7.

Joanne spent Melbourne Cup weekend with a group of loved ones at a holiday house in Sorrento.

But she was taken by ambulance to Frankston Hospital when she further deteriorated.

Ms Payne praised the hospital staff for their care in Joanne’s final hours.

“She was in a safe environment, cocooned in love and in a place where she could control her choices, which she did stoically and with her enduring bright humour,” she said.

“Everybody was able to say goodbye.”

Jo was not able to speak in her final hours, but communicated via a board that she wanted to save lives through donating organs.

Her healthy kidneys and liver were transplanted into waiting patients.

Joanne, who was a marketing manager for a pharmaceutical company, attended Cheltenham High School and Mentone Girls High School.

After marrying Matt in 2005, the couple lived in Port Melbourne, Cheltenham, Mentone and Beaumaris before settling in Edithvale.

Lyndal said the family had been overwhelmed by love and support during Joanne’s illness and since her death on November 2, including from the girls’ Edithvale Primary School community.

“It’s amazing how much of an impact she has had on people,” Lyndal said. “I knew she was a great girl, of course, and my confidante, but so many others loved her too.”

The family is desperate to find a cure for MND. While they have been overwhelmed with support through a fundraising page set up during the past few weeks - which attracted more than 500 donations - they say they would prefer people now donate to curemnd.org.au.

“We need to stop this bastard disease,” Lyndal said.

A memorial for Joanne will be held at 11am on Tuesday, November 15, at the Kingston Arts Centre. People are encouraged to wear bright colours and to learn to like George Michael’s music (or at least pretend to do so).

Visit curemnd.org.au to make a donation.

MND explained

Two people in Australia die every day from MND, which can strike anybody.

While the average life expectancy of the disease is about 2.5 years, certain types, such as bulbar, which struck Joanne, progresses more quickly.

Only 10 per cent of people with MND have ‘familial’ MND, caused by a gene mutation. The remaining 90 per cent are the only affected person in their family.