Tumor Registrars Association of Connecticut
About Us
Incorporated in 1976
Our Mission
To support professional standards and ethics for cancer registry professionals.
Raise the level of knowledge and performance of the cancer registrar through continuous education.
Apprise members of the Association of current activities, research and trends in oncology.
Contribute to the betterment of patient care through research and education in cancer registry administration.
Seek active liaison with professional and government organizations which utilize data received from tumor registrars.
Membership
Our members enjoy the benefits of networking, low cost educational events, newsletters and social events.
Education
Each year, TRAC hosts two educational events. These events provide CEs for a low cost.
Photo: New London Light by Karen Sterling Stackpole
TRAC History
The History of the Tumor Registrars Association of Connecticut
1972 March 13-24th - Cancer Registry Symposium held in San Francisco, CA, designated March 16th as the first national meeting of Tumor Registrars. At this time a seven member ad hoc committee of tumor registrars was appointed to determine feasibility of establishing a national association.
1974 March 14th - In Dallas, TX, the National Cancer/(Tumor) Registrars Association was founded and consisted of 113 members representing 28 states and the District of Columbia. Today NCRA has over 3,000 members. 1975 September - The first formal workshop for hospital tumor registrars was held at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, CT. At this meeting registrars were encouraged to join NCRA and develop their own state associations.
1976 Feb 25th - first organizational meeting was held at the University of Connecticut and chaired by John T. Flannery, Chief of the Connecticut Tumor Registry and nineteen tumor registrars. Charlotte Piggott of the University of Connecticut was elected first President. Jack Flannery stated the following "Words of Wisdom": "The success of any organization is predicated on Membership Participation." Association founded and adopted the name of: (TRAC) Tumor Registrars Association of Connecticut.
1977- The TRAC organization was incorporated as non-profit and received a tax exemption. The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons recognized NCRA when Vida Peterson became their first non-physician member. Acceptance as health care professionals had finally been achieved.
1978 The first TRAC brochure was designed and distributed. NCRA published the National Tumor Registrars Association Educational Standards and a revision in 1983. In addition, a job description was developed as a guide for hospital administrators and others involved in hiring Tumor Registrars. Once the Educational Standards were established, work began on developing the Certification Exam.
1979 TRAC accepted logo designed by John L. Meyer II, M.D. of Day Kimball Hospital. TRAC purchased pins with new logo. TRAC Banner first presented during November meeting. 1980 TRAC Banner displayed at NCRA annual May meeting in San Francisco, CA. First educational grant received from the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Yale. First Eastern Area Tumor Registry Training Program was developed and implemented by: TRAC, the American Cancer Society; CT Division, the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Yale, and the Connecticut State Medical Society. It was taught by Marilyn Hurst from September 1980 - June 1981.
1981 Published the first TRAC Newsletter.
1982 First requested CEU's from NCRA for educational meetings. NCRA began publishing an annual call for papers using registry data which are presented at the annual meetings. This mechanism provides the tumor registrar with the opportunity to develop meaningful reports in order to generate more interest in data utilization in their hospitals.
1983 March 12th - The first Certification Exam was offered throughout the United States. 543 Certified Tumor Registrars (CTRs) were honored at the ninth NCRA annual meeting held at Yale University, New Haven, CT. TRAC's first CTR's: Marilyn Hurst, G. Lynn Milan, Mary Jeanne Pierce, Charlotte Piggott, Jane Serbent, Thelma Stasko. NCRA held its annual meeting at Yale in conjunction with TRAC.
1985 Connecticut State Tumor Registry celebrates 50th year of cancer registration. In honor of the 50th Anniversary the International Association of Cancer Registries (IACR) held its annual meeting at the Parkview Hilton Hotel, Hartford, Connecticut December 10-12, 1985. Members represented the USA, Canada, the Republic of China, Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Uraguay, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Poland, Austrailia, Japan, Sudan, India, Sweden, South Africa, Hungary, Finland, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Germany. The Fiftieth Anniversary of the Connecticut State Tumor Registry also served as an occasion to pay tribute to the many hard-working tumor registrars throughout the state and the nation.
1991 February - Fundamental Tumor Registry Organization (FTRO) modules purchased.
1993 April 28,29 -American Cancer Society donated $425.00 for FTRO workshops to be held in 1993 and 1994 FTRO Workshop held at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital, New London, CT.
1994 FTRO Workshop held.
1997 November - Credit card wallets were printed with TRAC logo and TRAC pins were pur- chased for sale at NTRA's upcoming Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachuesetts. CE credential tracking cards were printed for a giveaway, also.
1998 May - In Boston, at the National Cancer Registrars Annual Meeting, TRAC had a booth in the exhibition hall where TRAC sold and gave away the aforementioned articles.