She hasn't stopped for 83 years and she has no plans to.

"I think I retired at one stage in 1991, but I didn't like it."

The Warrnambool octogenarian is an adult educator, a missionary, a volunteer, president of the Warrnambool Eisteddfod and a member of Warrnambool East Rotary. She was also heavily involved with the Warrnambool Theatre Group for many years.

She is an inspirational mother to four, a grandmother of 10 and has 12 great grandchildren.

"I'm a matriarch," she laughs with her arms outstretched in the living area of her cosy unit that overlooks the Merri River in the south of the city.

As the winter fog lifts from the wetlands and the plants in her garden wake from their slumber, Joy will pack her suitcase to return once more to a country that holds a very special place in her heart.

Cambodia has become her adopted second home. "I tried to add it up one day. I think I've made over 30 trips there in 20 years."

Her interest is with the Cambodia Trust, a charity that supports people with disabilities, helping them to live and contribute to their communities.

The trust operates clinics that fit artificial limbs and orthotic devices to people injured by land mines, accidents, disasters, illness and disease. It also trains prosthetic and orthopaedic specialists, works for equal rights for people with disabilities and helps impoverished villages.

Joy is an active advocate for the trust, which was last year renamed Exceed with the mission statement of "equip, enable, empower". The change reflects its growth to five countries as the world's largest prosthetics and orthotics educator.

"I love it. I've seen huge advances in medical equipment over the years. I've got a photo of the things people wore before the trust came along. Some of them used limbs made of shell casings and wood.

"We've trained students from 14 different countries in the region. More than 100 have been trained in Cambodia over the years, from all walks of life. We have completely localised all the staff."

The trust was set up in 1994. Each year it fits more than 800 artificial limbs and 1000 orthopaedic devices.

She's witnessed countless young children and the elderly walk for the first time after being fitted with new prosthetics and it still brings a lump to her throat.

One 73-year-old woman who turned up at a clinic had lost her leg when she stood on a landmine 13 years before. Joy recalls that she had to be carried around by her husband, who she describes as "a feeble little man". Six of the couple's 14 children had died during the horrific years of the Khmer Rouge regime.

"It was such a thrill to see her walking on her new leg. The trust gives people their life back."

Born in Adelaide, Joy was the daughter of a Church of Christ parson. She has lived in Warrnambool since 1961, shifting to the city with her trade teacher husband, Ron and three young children. Her fourth child was born in Warrnambool.

Once the children grew up, the couple moved to the Northern Territory where Joy spent 12 years working from the South Australian border "to the very top".

Ron died suddenly in 1985 at the age of 58. The pair had been shopping in a supermarket in Darwin when Ron collapsed.

"It will be 30 years ago next month. I clearly remember the bill for the groceries was $116.20 and I insisted on paying."

Joy admits it was a shock, but refused to slow down. "If I stopped I wouldn't have been the person he thought I was."

"Twelve months later to the day, I was in China teaching at a teacher's college on the cusp of the crossover after Mao (Zedong) and Deng (Xiaoping)." She had taken two years' leave from her position in the NT.

"It was marvellous because you could travel. It gave me an opportunity to see an incredible place at an incredible time."

One of her saddest lasting memories is sitting with a Chinese woman grieving the death of her only son.

"Her son had committed suicide because he failed his exams. Neither of us could speak each others' language, but we were two mothers in tears, holding hands. It was a dreadful moment."

She returned home and continued her teaching, finally retiring after a posting at Alice Springs.

"I originally wanted to go back to China, but every door had shut, so I found myself in Cambodia."

Joy worked as a missionary for two years then began as a trustee with the Cambodia Trust, a role she held until last year when she resigned. The charity rewarded Joy's efforts by naming her as a patron and surprised her with a beautiful book filled with photographs of her work in the country during her many visits.

"I've just been very blessed to have this urge. I've never felt in danger, I just felt I had God's protection."

Although she still drives, Joy doesn't attend regular church services any more. "At the moment, I'm a feral Christian," she laughs. "I have my own little worship here at home."

Joy had a knee reconstruction in March, but won't let that stop her. She plans to continue her trips to Cambodia, where she has more recently been accompanied by family members, while she still has "health and strength".

Her next trip is in September with daughter Lynne and her husband Danny from South Australia. In previous years donations from Warrnambool have helped her to buy wheelchairs and washing machines for three clinics as well as repair another clinic's leaky roof.

She has witnessed hundreds of people receiving help from the trust over the years, but several stand out.

Milbot, who will graduate as a qualified prosthetic and orthopaedic professional, has been sponsored by her Rotary club.

Chen Vandeth was just six when he first turned up at a clinic and has been fitted with 16 legs "and counting" as he has grown.

Toy Sok Dong was born with stumps as arms and no legs. "He got around on paddles, stumps, and he had the most marvellous smile on his face."

He was 16 when he was fitted with prosthetic legs and Joy was there with her daughter and son-in-law when he walked for the first time.

"It was just such a lovely moment. You see this all the time. It makes me so proud of this organisation."

She has a simple life philosophy: "I've never planned anything I've done. Just let God lead."