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ME/CFS AUSTRALIA (SA) INC
Registered Charity 698
Mailing address:
GPO Box 383,
Adelaide,
South Australia 5001
Office:
266 Port Road,
Hindmarsh,
South Australia 5007
Ph: (08) 8346 3237
('834 MECFS')
Office Hours:
Wednesdays, 10am-3pm
Support Line:
(Mondays and Thursdays,
10am-3pm)
Ph: (08) 8346 3237
SA country callers:
Ph: 1300 128 339
(local call)
FIBROMYALGIA HELP: Contact Fibromyalgia SA at the Arthritis Foundation of SA 118 Richmond Road, Marleston 5033 Ph: (08) 8379 5711 |
ME/CFS Australia (SA) Inc supports the needs of sufferers of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and related illnesses. We do this by providing services and information to members.
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Disclaimer
ME/CFS Australia (SA) Inc aims to keep members informed of the various research projects, diets, medications, therapies etc. All communication, both verbal and written, is merely to disseminate information and not to make recommendations or directives.
Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed on this Web site are not necessarily the official views of the Society or its Committee and are not simply an endorsement of products or services.
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Talking Point
March 2001
In this issue:
Vice-President’s
Report
Dr Tapendra Mohan Mukherjee
Medical Seminar
(May 12)
Chronic Illness on the
Web
Jonathon Foote
Handy Hints
Home Assist Programs
Support Groups
Dr Tapendra Mohan Mukherjee
Born September 30, 1933 India
Died February 2, 2001 Adelaide
It
was with great sadness that I recently attended the funeral of Dr Tapen
Mukherjee, one of Australia’s first researchers to make significant scientific
discoveries into the disease ME/CFS. The funeral was an incredibly moving
and spiritual experience combining both Hindu and Christian elements –
a true reflection of how Dr Tapen lived his life.
With special thanks to Dr Jini Mukherjee-Gray
Dr Mukherjee was born in Dehra Dun, India and from an early age had a keen sense of passion about whatever he did. He was determined and courageous and always believed that one should be the very best that they could be.
He graduated from the University of Calcutta in 1955 with a medical degree and followed by a Diploma in Gynecology and Obstetrics. He then entered the field of electron microscopy, which became the focus of his life’s work. Tapen travelled to various parts of the world on fellowships and in 1965 he travelled to New Zealand where he took up the position of Head of Electron Microscopy at the University of Otago.
During the course of his career he made many scientific discoveries and was the first to describe the presence of tight junctions between cells which serve as mechanisms of cell communication. In 1969 Dr Tapen came to Adelaide and became a pioneer researcher in Ultrastructural Pathology. A research discovery that he was very passionate about was the finding of structural abnormalities existing in the red blood cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. This was a significant discovery because it showed for the first time that patients with this disease had a definite organic pathology. This work drew world attention when it was published in Time magazine. Dr Mukherjee worked very closely with Dr Kathy Maros in this research and travelled overseas to establish links with other researchers interested in CFS. The South Australian Society in the 80’s, led by Lyn Drysdale also worked together with Dr Mukherjee and lobbied for equipment and funding for ME/ CFS research. Tapen was one of the first Doctors to seek R&D funding from the private sector for ME/ CFS research.
Sport – especially cricket and golf – were his great loves, and allowed him to express his competitive nature. He also loved music and played a wide variety of instruments. Dr Mukherjee supported many community groups and ME / CFS sufferers were always close to his heart. He always wished to be able to do more.
Dr Mukherjee, a very committed family man, is survived by his wife and two daughters, Sutapa and Jini both of whom followed in his footsteps and joined the medical profession.
He is fondly remembered as a gracious gentleman by all who knew him.
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