Carol and Roy Langsford's daughter Trish was "full of life and vitality, a young woman living out her dreams", playing elite-level tennis, cricket and hockey.
But the cruel march of multiple sclerosis robbed her of a promising future as Trish became bedridden in a nursing home, paralysed, artificially fed and understanding everything that was said to her but unable to communicate in return.
Trish passed away in 2002 aged 30, having lived the last four years of her life in that nursing home, battling end-stage MS.
Her parents, Carol and Roy Langsford, with the help of a group of volunteers, established the Trish Multiple Sclerosis Research Foundation, in 2000, before their daughter passed away.
The foundation has since raised more than $6 million for research into multiple sclerosis, a chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system. It is the most common neurological disease that affects young adults.
The mission of the Trish Multiple Sclerosis Research Foundation is to find a cure or preventative strategy for MS, to avoid others suffering the same fate as Trish.
Carol and Roy dedicate most of their days in retirement to the foundation, ensuring its gala charity ball, other fundraisers and private donations are dedicated to research projects that make a difference. Roy is the treasurer and Carol is the chair.
The Sydney-based couple were in Canberra this week to open a local chapter of the research foundation, the launch hosted at the office of Canberra MP Alicia Payne, facilitated by Adrian Dolahenty.
"Until now, Roy and I have run the foundation from Sydney, so Canberra will be the very first Trish MS Foundation chapter," Carol said.
"We hope it will act as a support network for Canberrans living with MS, raise awareness within the community, and raise funds for future research that will hopefully soon lead to a cure, because every dollar counts.
"We can't wait to see where the Canberra chapter will lead in the future."
Ms Payne said it was an honour to launch the foundation's Canberra chapter.
"Multiple sclerosis is a terrible disease and it's so important to support research to find a cure and to support those living with the disease," she said.
"The energy and advocacy of people, such as Carol and Roy, is critical to raising the awareness and funding that we need to find a cure."
