Dr Maurice Super FRCP Edin
Contributed by Gita Conn Paediatric geneticist Dr Maurice Super MD, FRCP, FRCPCH, who has died of leukaemia just short of his 70th birthday was a man of passion and principle, the possessor of a laconic wit and an infectious laugh with a fiery love and enthusiasm for his work, his many interests and, above all, for his family. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1936, he studied medicine at Witwatersrand University. As the only Paediatrician in Namibia, he became interested in the emerging field of Genetics when he witnessed the high incidence of Cystic Fibrosis in the endemic population. To further these studies, he became one of the first graduates from the clinical Genetics MSC course at Edinburgh University. In 1979 he became a Consultant Paediatric Geneticist at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, establishing the Department of Clinical Genetics. His legacy will benefit future generations in the fight against Cystic Fibrosis. He co-authored ‘Cystic Fibrosis the Facts’ and pioneered the ‘Cascade Screening Programme’ to detect carriers. Despite his academic eminence, he delighted in spreading the word; His 'The Gene Shop' initiative at Manchester airport was unforgettable. Maurice’s love of Jewish tradition and Zionism was profound. Although weak from his final illness, he joined a recent Peace rally in Manchester. While others stood he sat but his voice rose strongly to sing the Hatikvah (Israeli national anthem.) A man who enjoyed life to the fullest, he will be sorely missed. He leaves his wife Anne, children, Michael, Jonathan and Beth and five grandchildren.
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Born: 17/10/1936