Sue Maslen remembers her mother Joyce for her determination. “She had a hard life, she was a real battler,” said Sue.

‘’When she was just a young girl, Mum spent a long time in the care of the RCH. She suffered from poliomyelitis, more commonly known as polio, in one of her legs. The effects of it stayed with her all her life, but so did the gratitude she had for the hospital,’’ said Sue.

Joyce Maslen combined her gratitude for the hospital with her passion for the land. Every year Joyce donated the proceeds of a sold vealer or bullock to the Good Friday Appeal.

Joyce began her dairy farming career with just one calf. Through her dedication and hard work, she ended up breaking records for milk production and farming along with raising prize winning bulls.

At the age of 80, Joyce gave up milking but continued farming by raising and selling beef cattle.

Building on her tradition of giving to the Good Friday Appeal, Joyce also left an extraordinary gift to the hospital in her Will, donating the majority of her estate.

Sue Hunt, Chief Executive Officer at the RCH Foundation, reflects “Joyce’s Will says a lot about her and the kind heart and future focused thinking she had. We are extremely humbled and grateful for her generosity. She knew exactly what it means for a child to be cared for by the RCH.”

In 2016 Joyce passed away at the age of 87, survived by her two daughters, two grandsons and two great grandsons.

“In a lot of ways I’m very much like her. She was tough, a no nonsense lady. She taught us to be independent and she would always help someone if they needed it,” Joyce’s daughter, Sue recalls.

Through her legacy, Joyce has done for the RCH what the hospital did for her – provide lasting care and a brighter future for a sick child.

Special thanks to Edward Troutbeck for Joyce Maslen’s biography.