Dr Gill Lewis is a registered nurse (RN). She retired early at the beginning of 2024 from an academic career with the intention of travelling Australia with husband Tony in a newly purchased caravan. Gill was a Senior Lecturer and Undergraduate Course Coordinator at an Australian university after a nursing and academic career spanning 40 years. She has held senior roles in healthcare education, university and as a practicing clinician. Gill wishes to be advocate for those affected by MND. Tony became unwell shortly after Gill retired and was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) March 2024 at the age of 69. He died by VAD in January 2026.
Essentially, Gills’ motivation to be involved in MND focused research is simple, she wishes to be a voice and an advocate for those affected by MND. Too often, MND remains on the periphery of public awareness, although recent events have pushed the disease into the spotlight. Gill completed a Doctor of Philosophy program in 2020 and was a teaching focused academic with senior level portfolio which included implementation and coordination of a Bachelor of Nursing degree at a multi-site Australian university. By involvement in MND research as a consumer researcher she hopes to share their lived experiences in ways that can inform and enrich future research to shape better care practices and influence policy, especially for those over 65.
