Tribute to Margaret Lukes, ARAFMI Founder
Margaret Frances LUKES OAM; Founder of ARAFMI Passes Away
Mental Health Carers ARAFMI NSW was saddened to learn of the passing of our Founder and Patron on June 28 2011. Margaret’s passion for mental health has provided a legacy for all families, relatives, friends and carers of people with a mental illness throughout the country. Margaret was a committed and dedicated individual who is remembered with great fondness by many in the ARAFMI family across Australia. On behalf of the many families, relatives, friends and carers of those with a mental illness and the management, staff, members and volunteers from ARAFMI across Australia we offer our sincere condolences on the passing of such a wonderful lady.
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Mental Health Carers
Arafmi Queensland Inc.
The Management Committee and members of Arafmi Queensland would like to acknowledge the significant contribution that Margaret Lukes OAM has made to developing support for carers, families and people with mental health issues.
Arafmi commenced in Queensland in 1977 after taking inspiration from the model self help established by Margaret Lukes in Sydney during 1975.
During a visit to Queensland Margaret challenged and encouraged the Brisbane group to organise a seminar. During 1980 this came to fruition and laid the foundation for what the organisation has achieved today. In recognition of Margaret’s work and support of families, Queensland acknowledged her achievements inviting her to be Patron of the organisation.
Despite the tyranny of distance Margaret maintained regular contact with and encouragement of Queensland’s efforts to continue to make a positive difference to the lives of families and people living with mental illness.
Arafmi Queensland celebrated 30 years in 2007 and we were delighted that Margaret was able to make the journey to Queensland to help us and our joint Patron Her Excellency the Governor of Queensland Mrs Quentin Bryce AC to celebrate such a significant milestone. During her speech, Margaret reminded us that in ‘the early days’ the needs of families were largely ignored within the mental health system with clinicians rarely looking at or assisting the family behind the diagnosis.
Thanks to Margaret’s support of those founding members we can say that progress is now being made.
I first met Margaret Lukes over twenty five years ago at an Australian National Association of Mental Health meeting. She and I were for several years volunteers on various mental health committees and we met frequently at conferences. We became great friends.
Margaret held very strong views concerning mental health and the importance of the involvement and support of mental health carers which led to the establishment some thirty five or so years ago of Arafmi in NSW. The need and benefit for such an organisation spread to other states and the Northern Territory. I can recollect several occasions when Margaret was very forceful in putting her views not for the benefit of herself but on behalf of carers.
Another attribute that Margaret had was her ability to identify flaws in documents and to get them corrected without fear nor favour no matter who they had been prepared by or for. This did not however inhibit her in any way from enjoying social interaction and she had many friends throughout Australia. She was a friend in time of need and supported me and my family as we experienced difficult times. She was a good example of what it means to be a carer
I was privileged to be able to visit Margaret several times in the Unit she once enjoyed overlooking Pittwater Bay when she extended great hospitality to me and my wife.
It is of course sad that Margaret is no longer with us but her memory continues on as a great inspiration for us to continue the work she began.
Tony Fowke
President World federation for Mental Health
Presuident Mental Health Carers Arafmi Australia
As a senior employee of ARAFMI NSW from 2008 to 2010 - initially as Information & Support Line Officer and then as Promotion & Development Officer - I had the honour of meeting Margaret Lukes on a number of occasions. Our first meeting was at Margaret's prompting as she sought to be kept up-to-date with ARAFMI's doings and progress.
I found Margaret to be a formidable lady even in her nineties. She was also still greatly passionate about the ARAFMI family, and deeply interested in its future direction.
Despite a number of serious health problems over the years Margaret's strength of spirit and determination saw her physical health return on more than one occasion, as well as her intellectual sharpness reign supreme.
Margaret liked to call a spade a spade, truly appreciated and valued her ARAFMI co-founders and ‘successors’ in the various States, and most of all felt enduring compassion for those with mental health problems, and for the difficulties faced by their families.
My husband and I would like to offer our sincere condolences to her family, of whom she was so very proud. She will also be sadly missed by her ARAFMI family.
Tribute to Margaret Lukes
More than thirty five years have passed – more than a generation span – since 1975 when Margaret Lukes brought some families together in Sydney to found the Association of Families and Friends of the Mentally Ill. It was a movement that spread to the Illawarra to help the families and carers that had the burden and the worry and the fear of the future. In the Illawarra, few of our members will know her name. Very few will have known her in person. Her death is a reminder to all of us of the debt that we owe her, her vision and compassion and her strength.
I am very sad to hear of the death of Margaret Lukes I have many happy memories of her in the days when we were setting up Central Coast Branch .Margaret had a wonderfully warm caring way with people & was always very positive & supportive of our efforts giving us a sense of confidence. Margaret was the first Social Worker who became aware of the relatives & family behind those suffering Mental Illness trying to cope & care for their loved ones .those of us who have had a long association with ARAFMI know how much we owe to this wonderful woman & the strenght & respect in which ARAFMI is held across Australia & beyond is a fitting memorial. My deepest sympathy goes to all of Margaret's family . -----
Tribute to Margaret Lukes
More than thirty five years have passed – more than a generation span – since 1975 when Margaret Lukes brought some families together in Sydney to found the Association of Families and Friends of the Mentally Ill. It was a movement that spread to the Illawarra to help the families and carers that had the burden and the worry and the fear of the future. In the Illawarra, few of our members will know her name. Very few will have known her in person. Her death is a reminder to all of us of the debt that we owe her, her vision and compassion and her strength.
Peter Hutten
ARAFMI Illawarra
Margaret Lukes was a forthright person with firm views. Exactly what is needed if you are trying to build a new organisation from nothing.... and that is what she did ..... she had every reason to feel proud of her accomplishment seeing ARAFMI grow into an enormous respected unique representative body with a new ideology pioneering support for the mental health carers without whom the whole system would fail..... she was one of those rare people who saw a need amid the suffering and not only identified it but as a social worker used her skills to bring people together in this new cause always with a special dignity. Not only that she was able to influence and support others within the Mental Health Association with their particular ambitions. One of my memories apart from the formal association is the companion I had in the 80s flying to Melbourne and back for a conference. She will long be remembered and sadly missed.
Tony Humphrey President Club Speranza
On behalf of the Illawarra Regional Branch of mental health carers ARAFMI, we would like to express our sadness and condolences to the families and friends of Margaret Lukes.
It has brought great sadness to our organisation to hear of Margaret’s passing. Margaret being our founder of ARAFMI has left a lasting legacy to our organisation and its members and carers.
The ARAFMI organisation and its members are truly grateful for Margaret’s hard work and advocacy throughout the early years and through Margaret’s insight and passion we will continue to uphold Margaret’s attributes and strive to enhance the lives of carers and their families now and for many years to come.
Kelly Parrish
Regional Manager
ARAFMI Illawarra
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