"They drive me mad but they keep me young," says Petra Byrne of her boss and co-workers at Leaha's Hair Studio at Old Bar.
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Petra celebrates 50 years as a hairdresser this month. "It's a great career."
She began her apprenticeship in Parramatta and moved to the Manning in 1977.
In 1996 she was approached by Joy Davey of Taree Quota Club to help with the Look Good Feel Better program for women undergoing cancer treatment.
Petra ran the program for 21 years and "loved doing it." She also worked with oncology nurse Maureen Hogan to establish the hospital wig library, also with the support of Quota.
Petra "retired" from the program a couple of years ago.
She says she loved hairdressing when she started and, though it was hard working as a mother of three children, she couldn't wait to get back to it.
She now works two days a week, to help pay for the holidays, but also has time to look after her eight grandchildren, three of whom are in Sydney.
