Australian pathology is full of incredible women. From pathologists to collection staff, to scientists and lab technicians there are thousands of women across Australia who dedicate their lives to caring for the health of their communities, so often without the recognition this deserves. This International Women’s Day we’re saying thank you to every single one of them.
There are also four women in pathology who we owe a particular ‘thank you’ to. These women are full-time Pathologists as well as our ambassadors. On top of busy day jobs, they always find the time to help us promote the value of pathology to the wider community. From providing comment for media stories, to hosting politicians in their labs, to giving us tips on the latest news from the world of pathology, we couldn’t run KPKH without their support.
We would love to hear about other amazing women in the world of pathology so please take a moment to let us know about your work or to nominate a wonderful woman you know whose story deserves to be told. (You can use the form at the bottom of this post.)
Dr Penny Yarrow (pictured top right)
Based at Hobart Pathology, Dr Penny Yarrow is an Anatomical Pathologist who specialises in cancers, skin conditions and gastrointestinal conditions as well as providing calm, speedy answers to urgent questions from the KPKH team on a range of histo-related topics.
Penny has assisted with raising awareness of pathology in the media, most recently speaking on Hobart radio about skin cancers.
She has helped us explain what Anatomical Pathologists do and described some fascinating aspects of her work in the lab .
Dr Melody Caramins (pictured bottom left)
As Pathologist in Charge – Genetics at Laverty Pathology in Sydney, Dr Melody Caramins is our go-to woman for all things genes. Her specialty subjects include personalised medicine, genetic testing for cancer and other conditions, and genetic applications in IVF.
She also demystifies the latest research for the KPKH team and helps us keep up with the fast-paced world of genetic testing, as in this article on the prospect of a universal cancer test .
She recently starred on ABC news, where she excellently explained genetic testing for ovarian cancer.
Dr Petra Derrington (pictured bottom right)
Dr Petra Derrington is a microbiologist and Executive Director of Pathology Queensland.
Her specialties include skin, chest and hospital acquired infections as well as providing excellent story ideas to the KPKH team and being very enjoyable to talk to. She’s not just passionate about her own work either but is always keen to give a shout out to her pathology colleagues, such as Queensland’s infection detectives.
Her media involvement has helped highlight how rewarding a career in microbiology can be.
Petra is a woman of action in many ways; alongside work in the lab she champions a culture of consistent improvement and in her spare time is a motorbike enthusiast who also looks after sick birds.
Dr Ellen Maxwell (pictured top left)
Alongside being the Medical Director and Director of Haematology at Melbourne Pathology, Dr Ellen Maxwell’s specialties include getting s**t done and being unbelievably nice.
Last year Ellen gave us this insight into just how diverse, interesting and hectic her role can be and the amazing work done by her and her team in the lab to keep the blood pumping for thousands of patients.
Ellen has helped us out with many of our website stories and enquiries from the media, such as this article about the effect of blood types on health.
Fill in the form below to tell us about a woman in pathology that you think deserves to be celebrated – and make sure to keep an eye out on our Facebook page for some of our favourites.
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