Biography
Dr Lydia Pitcher is a clinical haematologist at Icon Cancer Centre Chermside and consults weekly on the Sunshine Coast at Icon Cancer Centre Maroochydore. Dr Pitcher has extensive experience in clinical and laboratory blood disorders of children and adults. In 1988 she graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery with Honours. Dr Pitcher interrupted her medical degree in 1985 to undertake a Bachelor of Medical Science with a thesis concerning the prognostic assessment of breast cancer. In 1992, she began her paediatric and haematology fellowships in Brisbane and completed her training as honorary registrar at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London.
She has worked as a consultant haematologist at the Mater and Royal Children’s Hospitals in Brisbane, as well as overseas including London and Starship Hospital in New Zealand. Dr Pitcher has been actively involved in research and medical ethics throughout her career with publications and presentations in the fields of malignant blood disorders, stem cell transplantation, molecular genetics of leukaemia and inherited stem cell disorders, haemophilia, paediatric thrombosis, neonatal blood disorders, aplastic anaemia, iron deficiency and late effects of therapy. She has been a member of national and international committees in these areas, and has continued involvement in undergraduate, postgraduate and nursing education. Dr Pitcher is Vice-President of the Australian Federation of Medical Women and former president of the Queensland Medical Women’s Society. She is passionate about doctor’s health and is a committee member of Doctor’s Health in Queensland, an association independent of the Doctor’s Health Advisory Service.
Dr Pitcher is experienced in caring for a wide range of malignant and non-malignant blood disorders including leukaemia, the assessment of problems with blood counts (such as anaemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia), bleeding and clotting issues, thalassaemia, and the long term follow-up of patients after chemotherapy and transplant for leukaemia or lymphoma (late effects of therapy). She also has experience in managing women’s health and paedatric haematology.