Whole school works to help charity in honour of former teacher

Staff and students are joining forces to raise money and awareness for a charity after a teacher was diagnosed with a rare condition which has no cure.

Carolyn Saul was a key member of the team at Aureus School in Didcot and had enjoyed a long career working in teaching when she was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), meaning she is one of around 3,500 people in this country with the condition.

The fact that MSA presents a range of symptoms initially shared with other diseases, such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s, can make diagnosis difficult and Carolyn’s took eight months. She has been supported by the MSA Trust, a small charity improving awareness and fundraising.

“At first they thought I could have Huntington’s, Addison’s or multiple sclerosis, but I was lucky in that I was under neurology Professor George Tofaris at the John Radcliffe Hospital, and he is a leader in his field,” she said.

“He knew pretty much straight away that it was MSA.”

Married with two young daughters, Carolyn, 48, had previously taught at Rosebery School, Epsom,  also a member of the GLF Schools Multi Academy Trust alongside Aureus which she joined in 2019.

“I had a wonderful 19 years at Rosebery and moved to Aureus when my husband’s job meant a move of house,” she said.

“It’s been an amazing school and I loved my time at Aureus, which was very different to Rosebery as that was a girls’ school and Aureus is mixed. I remember arriving and seeing boys chasing each other round, it was very different,” she said.

In April last year she was shopping with her daughters and mum when she felt her legs go weak - this turned out to be one of the many symptoms associated with MSA.

Passing out when standing-up was another, and Carolyn said once she had the diagnosis and looked at everything linked with MSA, it was obvious to her that she had been living with it for a couple of years.

“There is no treatment for it. They can treat the symptoms, but it is life-limiting with no cure,” she said.

“Before I left Aureus I was working on the social side and careers - I got to do all the trips and the fun stuff,” she said. Her first role at the school was Head of Humanities

She has left her role now, but is still very much in touch and is being cared for at home by her husband, who also works as a remote engineer.

And in honour of Carolyn, Aureus School is supporting the MSA Trust as its charity of the year and it is the focus for fundraising and heightening awareness of the condition and what it means for those living with it.

“Carolyn has been an indispensable member of our team, serving as the Assistant Headteacher for Personal Development. Following her diagnosis she took on the role of Head of Year while continuing her work in personal development.

“She is truly remarkable and her extensive knowledge of our community and deep affection for her students is inspiring. We were all heartbroken to learn of her diagnosis,” said Assistant Headteacher Hannah Powell.

The school is both raising money and acting as an advocate for the MSA Trust in Carolyn’s honour.