I was born in Newcastle in 1937, the younger of twin girls. After matriculating at Newcastle Girls' High School in 1953, I trained as a medical technologist at the Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, obtaining my Diploma in Medical Technology by conversion examination in 1963. Between 1958 and 1963 I worked in pathology at Taree and in London (Guys Hospital and Royal Northern Hospital). The grant of a mature age scholarship in 1963 enabled me to graduate MB BS at the University of Sydney in 1969. I spent two years as RMO at Sydney Hospital and then trained in haematology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. In 1974, I was admitted as a Fellow to the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (Haematology).

From 1975 to 1979, I was Director of Royal Newcastle Hospital and District Blood Transfusion Service, also providing clinical haematology services and haemophilia care. In 1979, appointment as the first haematologist at the Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, saw me introducing clinical haematology services and setting up the Hunter Region Haemophilia Care Service. In 1983, while continuing to work as a haematologist, I instigated and directed the Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital Palliative Care Service in a voluntary capacity and without any funding – the first outreach palliative care service in the Hunter Region. By 1987, upon completing my unpaid role, the service was fully funded.

After retiring in 1996, I established, and still curate, the pathology museum at the Mater Hospital (now the Calvary Mater Newcastle). I have written a history of the Pathology Department and am on the Hospital Heritage Committee. In 2000 I was admitted to the foundation Fellowship of the Australasian Chapter of Palliative Medicine (FAChPM) by invitation, in recognition of my pioneer work in palliative care. I continue to write and have self-published books related to the maritime history of Newcastle, and Maitland Gaol in the 19th century.

In the Australia Day Honours 2022, I was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for Service to Palliative Care and Community History.