Recap – November Meeting
The QMWS Centennial Working Group held its sixth meeting in the Emeritus Professor Mary Mahoney Boardroom, marking our final gathering of the 2024 year.
We were delighted to welcome Dr. Ira van der Steenstraten (Immediate Past-President and current Vice President), and Dr. Janet Huang, who served as QMWS President in 2014. Their leadership and experience have been invaluable to QMWS over the years, and their insights will greatly support our efforts in planning a memorable centennial celebration. In a spirit of honouring past QMWS presidents, we also acknowledge Dr. Lydia Pitcher, who has led our centennial meetings with unwavering dedication. Her passion for QMWS’s mission and commitment to preserving our legacy continue to inspire and guide our group.
A key topic of discussion at this meeting was the exciting prospect of commissioning a sculpture to honour Dr. Lilian Cooper, a trailblazer in the medical community and Queensland’s first female doctor. This sculpture would celebrate Dr. Cooper’s remarkable contributions while commemorating the centennial anniversary of QMWS, where she was an active member. We also took a moment to reflect on the prestigious Medal of St. Sava, awarded to Dr. Cooper for her outstanding contributions to both medicine and the community. This medal is displayed at St. Mary’s Church of England in Kangaroo Point, a fitting tribute to Dr. Cooper’s legacy.
In preparation for the centennial, Dr. Kathryn Mainstone, Dr. Barbara Woodhouse and Dr. Lydia Pitcher met with representatives of the Brisbane City Council regarding the Statue Proposal, as well as the State Library of Queensland regarding plans to preserve QMWS’s historical documents and launch a travelling exhibition in 2029. The QMWS archive includes invaluable records from members like Dr. Lilian Cooper and Dr. Eleanor Greenham (Queensland’s first-born, female registered physician), as well as the first QMWS meeting minutes book dating back to 1929. These efforts are essential for safeguarding the rich history of our organisation and will allow future generations to learn from the pioneering work of our members.
Our upcoming meetings will continue to focus on coordinating a readily accessible digital archive of the QMWS documents, with the collaboration of the State Library in this important project.
Lastly, our congratulations to Dr Chloe Hang, our resourceful and highly efficient secretary, on the safe arrival of her beautiful baby.
Special thank you
Our sincere thanks again goes to Ms. Lucy Reid, Senior Advancement Coordinator of Faculty of Medicine, at University of Queensland for graciously facilitating our meeting after hours at Herston’s UQ Medical School.
Upcoming Meetings
Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday, 4 February 2025, at 1:00 pm in the Emeritus Professor Mary Mahoney Boardroom, Herston Mayne Medical School.
In 2025, we plan to host quarterly evening meetings on Thursdays at 5:00 pm, allowing more opportunities for members to engage in our centennial preparations. For those interested in participating, please contact Dr. Lydia Pitcher, Sponsorship/Bursary Team Lead, at [email protected]. On-site parking is available with prior arrangement.
We wish everyone a joyful Christmas and a happy New Year and look forward to seeing you in 2025!
