She was born in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, on 15 April 1892, coming to New Zealand in 1911 where she trained at Cook Hospital, Gisborne.
[1][3] During World War 1 Cameron worked in England and Egypt, returning to New Zealand in 1919 where she became a district (public health) nurse on the East Coast of the North Island.
[4] In Rotorua she was appalled at the state of Māori health, housing, unemployment, poor sanitation, diet, incidence of infectious diseases and infant mortality.
[3][5] While in Rotorua, Cameron was involved in the establishment of the Women's Health League, and remained its president from its formation in 1937,[2] until her death in 1971.
[3] For her involvement in the Women's Health League, Cameron was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1938 King's Birthday Honours.