Dr. Cairney was appointed to the Department of Paediatrics at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University in 1987. She studied for a BSc at McMaster University before completing her MD in 1976 at the University of Toronto. In 1977 she undertook her residency training in paediatrics at the University of Ottawa and Manitoba. Further fellowship training in haematology/oncology led her current position at Western University.

She served on the Board of the Paediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) for 10 years where she contributed to the development guidelines and standards for satellite centres and the provision of paediatric cancer care in Southwestern Ontario.