36th International Symposium on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Motor Neurone Disease (ALS/MND) - December 2025 - San Diego USA

Meaghan Joyce represented MQ Health on the global stage at the 36th International Symposium on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Motor Neurone Disease (ALS/MND). Held in San Diego USA in December, the symposium is the leading international forum for advancing clinical practice and research in this complex, life-limiting condition. Meaghan Joyce, Accredited Practising Dietitian, presented her research: “Weight Trajectories and Survival Following Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) Insertion in Patients with Motor Neurone Disease at a Single-Site University Hospital.” This work draws on over 15 years of specialist, dietitian-led practice across inpatient and outpatient services. By providing continuous leadership in nutritional assessment, PEG planning, post-PEG protocols, and long-term follow-up, Meaghan analysed a longitudinal dataset examining real-world pre-PEG and post-PEG outcomes.

The findings show that specialised, MND-specific nutrition, delivered within a coordinated multidisciplinary team, improves survival, weight stability, and quality of life. It also highlights the critical role of dietetic leadership in optimising PEG timing, individualising nutrition, educating patients and carers, and partnering across medical, nursing, and allied health teams. This work showcases a world-class model of MND care from Macquarie University Hospital and Neurology Clinic and provides valuable international evidence reinforcing nutrition as a central, specialist discipline in high-quality MND care here to edit.
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