Fonds WCH-LIC - Dr. Lavina Lickley fonds

Dr. Lavina Lickley was born in Toronto on August 11, 1936. She attended Branksome Hall from 1950-1954 and completed a degree in physiology and biochemistry at Victoria College, University of Toronto from 1954-1958. She then entered the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto and graduated with a medical degree in 1962.

From 1962-1968, Dr. Lickley completed postgraduate training in surgery at Toronto General Hospital, the Hospital for Sick Children, St. Michael's Hospital, and Women's College Hospital. She then attended McGill University, graduating with a PhD in experimental medicine in 1974. While working toward her PhD, she also worked part-time at Scarborough Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Children.

Dr. Lickley became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada in 1968 and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 1977.

Dr. Lickley joined the staff of Women's College Hospital in 1974 as a general surgeon. She was also cross-appointed to the University of Toronto as an associate professor in the departments of Surgery and Physiology. In 1989, Dr. Lickley was appointed Chief of Surgery, a position she held until 2000.

As a surgeon, Dr. Lickley focussed on breast cancer and was the principal investigator of research at the Henrietta Banting Breast Centre. She conducted clinical research in breast cancer and was involved in clinical trials of breast cancer prevention. In 1988, she was the recipient of the Bruce Tovee Award, for her contributions to the educational activities of the Department of Surgery.

Dr. Lickley gave up surgery in 2006, but continued working with breast cancer patients at Women's College Hospital. During this time, she also ran a clinic for patients with a high-risk of breast cancer out of Princess Margaret Hospital. She retired from practice in 2015.