[6] O'Hara's father supported her and her sister Annie's wishes to study medicine, and not wanting them to move away he wrote to the University of Melbourne requesting their admission.

Grace Vale, Clara Stone, and Margaret Whyte also responded to the letter, and together these seven women began a campaign to force the University to accept their enrollments.

[7] On the 21 February 1887, the university council met and approved a motion to allow women into medicine, ten votes to three.

[10] She was a point of call to respond to public medical emergencies in the area such as heart attacks[11] and drownings.

[14] O'Hara died on 14 November 1942 at 75 years of age at her Beaconsfield parade residence in Albert Park.