VICDOC Autumn 2025 - Magazine - Page 38
D I P P I NG I N TO T H E A RC H I VES
I hope I have achieved something for women
as a result of this election. I hope at some time,
other women will stand for office and succeed.
—
DAME JOYCE DAWS, ON HER ELECTION AS PRESIDENT
OF THE VICTORIAN BMA BRANCH IN 1975,
QUOTED BY THE AGE NEWSPAPER.
On her retirement, Dame Joyce focused
on her other love: horticulture. She coowned 15 acres of proteas at Torquay, and
her love for these plants was a significant
part of her life outside of medicine.
The protea farm, originally a weekend
project, became a major focus for her during
these years and led to her participation in
the International Protea Association, which
she chaired from 1987-1996.
Dame Joyce died on 13 July 2007,
with no children or descendants. She
gave generously in her will, including
establishing medical fellowships through
the Churchill Trust.
Dame Joyce had a close relationship
with the Churchill Trust over many
years, holding a position on the Victorian
regional selection committee from 1984
until 1984-2002.
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AMA VI C TO RIA
One of Dame Joyce's close friends
was fellow surgeon, Dr Lena McEwan.
They co-owned the protea farm together
and encouraged lifelong learning
especially in the surgical field. Two
fellowships gifted to the Trust in Dame
Joyce’s Estate recognise this. One was The
Dame Joyce Daws Churchill Fellowship to
assess prosthetics and orthotics curriculum
of 2008, and the second is a perpetual
scholarship, jointly named with Dr
Lena McEwan (the Dr Lena Elizabeth
McEwan and Dame Joyce Daws Churchill
Fellowship), and awarded each year
for projects in surgery, including
surgical nursing.
AMA Victoria recently
nominated Dame Joyce
in the Victorian State
Government’s Name A Place
in Victoria initiative.
