Sculpting Legacy: Rhyl Hinwood’s Tribute to Dr Lilian Cooper
We are delighted to officially restart our first QMWS100 meeting of 2025. It is a joy to come together once again and continue our work on this important project, celebrating the legacy of trailblazing women in medicine.
On 4 February 2025, Dr Lydia Pitcher, Dr Kathryn Mainstone, Dr Barbara Woodhouse, Dr Chloe Hang, Jane Connolly, and Bernadette Condren had the privilege of meeting with Dr Rhyl Hinwood, an esteemed sculptor, to discuss the bronze sculpture that will honour Dr Lilian Cooper as part of our QMWS100 initiatives.
Rhyl Hinwood is renowned for her public artworks, including her iconic sandstone grosteques at the University of Queensland and numerous sculptures that capture the essence of historical figures. Her ability to imbue life and character into bronze and stone makes her the perfect artist to commemorate Dr Cooper’s legacy.
During her visit, Rhyl toured the Herston UQ campus alongside Senior Advancement Officer Lucy Reid. She explored the medical history cabinets, gaining valuable insight into early 20th-century medical practice and the environment in which Dr Cooper worked. Like an actress preparing for a role, Rhyl immersed herself in the life and character of Dr Cooper to ensure her sculpture faithfully captures the pioneering surgeon’s spirit and achievements. She also shared her vision for incorporating meaningful details into the work, including the symbolic Purple Cross.
We are deeply grateful to Dr Johanna Skinner for connecting us with Jane Connolly and Bernadette Condren, whose invaluable input is guiding this project. Both outstanding women are esteemed writers and members of the Brisbane Scribes, have been active participants in our QMWS100 meetings. Their insights and contributions are highly valued, and they will play a key role in documenting important literary works for the QMWS100 project.
Special thank you
Lastly, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Lucy for her warm hospitality and for welcoming us back with coffee. We are thrilled to move forward with this significant and meaningful initiative and look forward to sharing more updates as we honour one of Queensland’s most influential women in medicine.
Next Meeting
Our next QMWS100 meeting will take place on Tuesday, 4 March 2025, at 1:00 pm in the Emeritus Professor Mary Mahoney Boardroom, Herston Mayne Medical School.
We will also be hosting our Second Working Bee at Dr Barbara Woodhouse’s clinic at Wickham Terrace Surgical Centre on 8 March 2025 at 9:00 am.
Please email [email protected] if you are interested in participating in this event, where we will be unpacking the QMWS luggage and immersing ourselves in important QMWS history. On-site parking is available with prior arrangement.
Submitted by
Dr Chloe Hang
QMWS Events (Shadow Lead)
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