{"id":20,"date":"2021-01-21T21:07:20","date_gmt":"2021-01-21T21:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2021-volume-1-issue-1\/touched-by-cancer-alumna-fights-back-through-accurate-data\/"},"modified":"2021-02-18T22:00:14","modified_gmt":"2021-02-18T22:00:14","slug":"touched-by-cancer-alumna-fights-back-through-accurate-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2021-volume-2-issue-1\/touched-by-cancer-alumna-fights-back-through-accurate-data\/","title":{"rendered":"Touched by cancer, alumna fights back through accurate data"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u200aBy Courtney Morris<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Elizabeth Harvey fights cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although she has never received a cancer diagnosis or treated cancer patients, the San Jacinto College alumna fights by ensuring accurate patient data.<\/span><\/p>\n

Oncologists, radiologists, and surgeons might snag the spotlight, but certified tumor registrars are critical to doctors and researchers worldwide. And Harvey, who works for the Texas Cancer Registry, has plenty of reasons to be passionate about cancer research: four immediate family members, in fact.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Elizabeth Harvey (middle) with her sisters. (Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Harvey)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

19 Years in the Making<\/span><\/h3>\n

The journey toward a cancer data management career was winding, but once Harvey got there, the field was a perfect fit.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2014, her mother received a Stage 4 kidney cancer diagnosis. Harvey and her sisters cared for her until she passed away in 2016.<\/span><\/p>\n

Losing someone so close brought Harvey to a crossroads in life. Thanks to her San Jac interior design training, she had built a successful two-decade career decorating model homes. On the side, she had also run a nonprofit animal rescue group.<\/span><\/p>\n

Handling animals and arranging furniture both demanded physical energy, but these jobs also involved research. Harvey enjoyed analyzing design trends and writing policy and procedure manuals.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted a career that I felt was more brain and less brawn,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of her sisters, then a San Jac administrator, helped her explore the College\u2019s programs. Harvey settled on the cancer data management program, which blended her researching, writing, and analytical thinking skills.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut the biggest thing was I felt it was a tribute to my mother,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is a field where I could make a difference for people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Elizabeth Harvey with her mother, Geraldine Harvey. (Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Harvey)<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Preparing for Precision<\/span><\/h3>\n

In spring 2017, Harvey enrolled in the program. Since she lives near Austin, the online courses gave her flexibility to continue her design work during the day and study on evenings and weekends.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI absolutely loved it,\u201d she said. \u201cAt this point in my life, I was self-motivated, could schedule myself, and get everything done on time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Except for two coding classes that involved live webinars, all classes were on her own schedule. She learned how to create abstracts from patients\u2019 medical records \u2014 recording demographics, diagnoses, treatments, and health status.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Harvey didn\u2019t expect were very precise coding rules and eight or more manuals to grasp, but adjunct faculty member Linda Kenyon said she had the drive to master the content. According to Kenyon, certified tumor registrars collect more than 200 data points on each patient, telling \u201ceach patient\u2019s story of diagnosis and treatment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to see that what you are doing is something bigger than yourself,\u201d she said. \u201cThe data collected today will be used by physicians to explain what works and what to expect to the next generation of cancer patients.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Telling Each Patient\u2019s Story<\/span><\/h3>\n

Harvey\u2019s job at Austin\u2019s Texas Cancer Registry happened thanks to an extra-credit assignment. After meeting with TCR department heads for a report, she fell in love with the workplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI inquired about positions, and they told me to send my resume,\u201d she said. \u201cThey hired me two months before I finished the program at San Jac.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Harvey earned her advanced technical certificate in December 2018, then passed her exam to become a licensed certified tumor registrar several months later. She started at TCR with solid skills thanks to her San Jac training.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt really prepared me to sit for the exam and hit the ground running for my job,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a program specialist, Harvey helps with quality assurance and team training. She writes and updates TCR\u2019s cancer reporting manual and creates webinars about coding changes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA patient is diagnosed with cancer,\u201d Harvey said. \u201cThey may have a report from the hospital that diagnosed them, a lab, and a surgery center. We take all the information from those different facilities, consolidate, and edit as needed for more accurate data.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Afterward, TCR shares the information with a national registry. Doctors, researchers, and others in the cancer field worldwide use it to develop and fine-tune treatments.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a career where everyone works hard to help each other,\u201d Harvey said. \u201cTo make data meaningful, it has to be consistent, accurate, and timely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Finding Her Niche<\/span><\/h3>\n

Besides having a passion for details, Harvey pursued cancer data management for personal reasons.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to her mother, Harvey\u2019s father passed away from brain cancer. Both her older sister and twin sister have survived breast cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n

While cancer is in her genes, Harvey has determined not to let cancer have the final word. She has found her niche as a tumor registrar.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is one way I can fight,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u200aBy Courtney Morris Elizabeth Harvey fights cancer. Although she has never received a cancer diagnosis or treated cancer patients, the San Jacinto College alumna fights by ensuring accurate patient data. Oncologists, radiologists, and surgeons might snag the spotlight, but certified tumor registrars are critical to doctors and researchers worldwide. And Harvey, who works for the… read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1],"tags":[],"article_type":[],"class_list":["post-20","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-student-success-story","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nTouched by cancer, alumna fights back through accurate data - Spring 2021, Volume 2 \u2013 Issue 1<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2021-volume-2-issue-1\/touched-by-cancer-alumna-fights-back-through-accurate-data\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Touched by cancer, alumna fights back through accurate data\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u200aBy Courtney Morris Elizabeth Harvey fights cancer. 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