Note from the President

As the end of 2024 approaches, I hope everyone is looking forward to another year of success in your cancer registry ventures for 2025!

​

I look forward to being your NYCRA President for the coming two years. I am most excited to be serving this organization for the upcoming year, as it will be the 50th Anniversary of NYCRA! I have been a member since 1992, which is more than half the lifespan of this Organization. I have served in several positions on the board.  I moved out of state for part of my career but always maintained my connection with NYCRA. This is where networking happens and where I have met many colleagues and gained some of my closest friends.

​

State organizations are becoming more vulnerable to dissolution due to lack of leadership and because the ability to earn continuing education credits virtually throughout the country is becoming more prevalent. I might be the minority, but I feel that a State Organization is crucial to keep those registrars who are working in a particular state, informed of issues and changes pertinent to specific state requirements, as well as the national standards. I am proud to serve on a Board who is committed to maintaining our organization.

​

When I worked as a vendor, I was able to travel to other state meetings and always felt that NYCRA was superior in terms of its Educational Conference offerings. We have always gotten the “best of the best” to speak and have provided quality presentations that match what is provided by our national organization.

​

Now the most exciting news…

​

We have reserved the Gideon Putnam Resort and Spa as our venue for our 50th Anniversary celebration. The dates will be from Monday, September 29, 2025 to Wednesday, October 1, 2025. (More information can be found under the Annual Conference tab on this website).  Our Continuing education committee is working diligently to secure speakers and some of the items on the “drawing board” is a dinner dance celebration on Tuesday night, invitations to past presidents to join us for this celebration, theme days for each day of the meeting, and a lovely keepsake to commemorate the 50th Anniversary for our “in person” attendees. We hope that with the new requirement for in person attendance from the NCRA Council on Certification will prompt facilities to understand the importance of networking and permit their registrars to attend in person.  This will be the year to do it, as it will be quite the celebration!

​

Lastly, a request…

​

We have a new position on the Board- Assistant Treasurer. Won’t you consider volunteering and put your name on the ballot? It has been quite some time since we have had an actual election and I would love to see a few members run for this office! It would be a great way to assist our very busy Treasurer and you can get acclimated to the Board and how we function. You can find a description of this role in our Bylaws. YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD, TOO YOUNG, TOO INEXPERIENCED TO JOIN US ON THE BOARD. Please consider stepping up and participating. Please reach out to me if you would like to serve on the Board in any capacity.  I can be contacted at desgrosa@upstate.edu. We need YOU to keep us “NYCRA Strong”.

​

I will periodically reach out to the you with more information and reminders as the year progresses.

​

All the Best,

Alesia Desgrosiellier, RHIT, ODS-C