{"id":22566,"date":"2025-04-21T14:27:32","date_gmt":"2025-04-21T18:27:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myositis.org\/?p=22566"},"modified":"2025-05-23T11:43:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T15:43:10","slug":"a-tribute-to-marianne-moyer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myositis.org\/blog\/a-tribute-to-marianne-moyer\/","title":{"rendered":"A tribute to Marianne Moyer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Marianne passed away on May 2, 2024, from complications of SRP necrotizing myopathy and interstitial lung disease. On the eve of the one-year anniversary of her death, we offer this tribute in recognition of her dedication to TMA and those who lived with these rare diseases.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not often that one meets a person who truly transcends the ordinary, someone whose compassion, wit, and grace leave an indelible mark on the lives of so many whom they meet. Marianne Moyer was such a rare individual, both for those of us who knew her through The Myositis Association and others in the world beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A familiar story<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1999, Marianne was 50 years old and newly retired from her 30-year career at Bell Atlantic. She had a great new consulting job and was looking forward to spending her retirement giving back, investing her time and talents in a variety of volunteer projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But one day, while blow drying her hair, the dryer felt too heavy. Soon she couldn\u2019t even lift the hairbrush, steer the car, ride her bike, or step up on a curb. She had trouble swallowing food and developed a dry cough that wouldn\u2019t go away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, she was diagnosed with polymyositis, a diagnosis that was later changed to necrotizing myopathy. She spent the better part of a year unable to stand, walk, or care for herself. But she was always grateful for the constant support of her husband John (They celebrated their 50th<\/sup> wedding anniversary one week before she died!) who, like so many care partners, carried her, dressed her, fed her, and pushed her to overcome the challenges of muscles that simply would not work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time to give<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the medications started to work and her symptoms were somewhat controlled, she returned to the work of giving back. She attended her first TMA Annual Patient Conference in 2005 where she met another patient from southwest Florida where she lived. Together Marianne and Barbara Kluding (now also deceased) mapped out a plan to create TMA\u2019s Southwest Florida Keep in Touch (KIT) Support Group. In the 18 years since its founding, this group has become one of the largest, most successful of TMA\u2019s regional support groups. Marianne continued to actively co-lead that group until her death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI work hard to help our group\u2019s members know they are not alone in this myositis journey. I want them to know that they too can overcome the obstacles that loom large at the early stages of this disease.\u201d<\/p>Marianne Moyer in a TMA patient story for Myositis Awareness Month in 2019<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When Marianne met or learned of someone who was living with myositis, she went out of her way to call or write or be in touch with them. She would share tips and resources and contact information for those who lived too far away or couldn\u2019t travel to support group meetings. And long before the pandemic made Zoom a part of everyone\u2019s daily life, the SW FL KIT Support Group started using it regularly to connect with those distant or less able group members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a regular basis, she asked TMA staff to send her copies of our educational booklets\u2014Myositis 101 <\/em>for patients and The Physician\u2019s Guide to Myositis <\/em>for medical professionals\u2014<\/em>and handed them out wherever she went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marianne\u2019s efforts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, Marianne has been a nearly unstoppable force in support of TMA\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n