Margaret Mack Award
There are many extraordinary people who have had a powerful influence in the history of St Giles - a unique custodian of this history is the late Margaret Annette Rose Mack MAPA OAM.
Margaret was born in Geelong in Victoria. After qualifying as a physiotherapist she moved to Tasmania in 1937, taking up a position at the Launceston General Hospital. Her appointment coincided with the outbreak of polio and she subsequently headed up a team of physiotherapists guiding the development of our therapy services when St Giles was established in 1937.
With the advent of war Margaret became a physiotherapist with the Australian Army and was posted to the Middle East. After returning to Australia she set up in private practice in Launceston in 1949 and, although officially retiring in 1992, she remained a valuable source of advice to the sector and former clients until her death in 2005.
Margaret was a founding member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, later becoming National President. She was a Director of St Giles, serving as Vice President and being awarded the honour of Life Governor and she was also awarded an OAM for her outstanding services to the community.
In honour of the memory of the late Margaret Mack MAPA OAM, St Giles makes a donation to the Post Polio Network of Tasmania at the Annual General Meeting.
As a further honour, we have established the new Margaret Mack Centre that houses our Seating and Equipment Service and Fundraising Division.