Celebrating becoming a centenarian yesterday, Peggy Liddell, of Elmswood Retirement Village, initiated the service during the late 1980s - a move that went against the grain at the time.
Receiving a royal birthday greeting in the mail from Queen Elizabeth II was not the first time she was recognised by the reigning British monarch.
Her services to women's health were why she received a Queen's Service Order in 1990.
Celebrating a century of life was well spent with a spot of birthday lunch, followed by a roaring cocktail night.
Although it was "very nice to see everybody," the day was tainted with sadness as her daughter's family, who resided in Canada, were not able to join.
"It doesn't feel any different [turning 100], but unfortunately, my Canadian family can't come because of the virus creeping around all over the place," she said.
"It's sad that they can't be here but these things happen."
Peggy's medical journey began in 1939 when she trained as a doctor at The Royal Free Hospital in London during World War II; qualifying in 1945.
She followed in the footsteps of her father, who was also a doctor in northern India in the Colonial Service - a government service which administered most of Britain's overseas possessions at the time.
It was where she was born in 1920, in Simla, India - also known as Shimla.
And while the world was at war, Peggy found love.
Orthopaedic surgeon and New Zealander William Liddell captured her heart while working together at Hammersmith Hospital, London.
After getting to know each other thanks to an invitation to another fellow surgeon's house party, the rest was history.
Following her marriage to William in 1950, who died in 1986, she decided to take the plunge and relocated to NZ in 1953.
Together, they share four children, 11 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren - with two more on the horizon.
For Peggy, becoming a doctor was only the beginning.
In 1956, she went on to work as a radiotherapist in the oncology department at Christchurch Hospital until 1985.
Even though she retired in 1985, Peggy believed there was more work to do and played a vital role in the normalisation of mammograms among Kiwi women.
In conjunction with Maevis Watson of the Trade Union Centre, she established workplace screening for working women in 1987.
"I felt that women weren't getting a fair deal with getting breast lumps looked at adequately," said Peggy.
"After I retired I decided to do something to bring it to the force, that's why I did a few years setting up a breast clinic.
"It's nice to know that women can go and get mammograms now if they want to."
Outside of the medical field, the joy of painting was what kept her busy, particularly oil and watercolour.
Peggy was unsure of the secret behind her long life, but stressed the importance of living a fulfilling one.
"Think about other people, and try to do something that's worthwhile before you shuffle off."
