3 of 10 Alabama Hospital Heroes from Flowers Hospital - Joanne Powers

2/13/2013

Joanne Powers

Joanne Powers knows that patient care takes place not only at the bedside, but also in remote offices throughout the hospital. She is Flowers Hospital’s Cancer Registry Coordinator. Cancer registry is systematic collection of data about cancer and tumor diseases, capturing demographic information, medical history, diagnostic findings, cancer therapy and follow up information. When the position became available, Joanne was the perfect choice. She possessed the skills necessary: accurate record keeping, an inquisitive mind, strict attention to detail and a desire to excel. Over the previous 15 years these skills had been honed in our Medical Records Department where she mentored and trained many new employees.

Joanne felt she knew little about what the job of Cancer Registrar entailed; however, she is a team player and accepted the position in 2004 without any hesitation. With her expertise in the medical record process and her own tenacity, not only did she catch up the backlog of work, she established a systematic program for gathering the information. She continued to educated herself, becoming a Certified Tumor Registrar by 2006. She became an active member of the Alabama Cancer Registrars Association, where she served on the Donation and Membership Committees. As her skill and dedication became evident, she was asked to serve in executive roles including Vice President, Parliamentarian/Historian and Secretary. Joanne is currently the sole nominee for President Elect of the Alabama Cancer Registrar Association.

After high school, Joanne felt she wanted a career in early childhood education. As with other things in her life, she went full out, working full time and taking a full course load. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education, but soon discovered that it was not fulfilling to her. Her passion to help others was in information; searching, collecting, collating, and creating useful data. Soon, the impact of the work she did became all too clear and all too personal. Joanne’s mother died of a stroke at the age of 40, so in 2008 when Joanne began experiencing numbness in her left side, doctors concentrated on MRIs of her head and not her spine and she went undiagnosed, while her disease progressed. In 2010 she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She experienced extreme pain and in a short period of time went from participating in Zumba classes to walking with a walker and was even told she would soon be in a wheel chair. She literally could not walk 10 steps. Challenges are not new to Joanne, so with a regiment of medicine, time and a lot of effort she is once again walking unassisted. Through this entire devastating process, Joanne remained diligent and untiring to her duties as Cancer Registrar. Relating her illness to her work, Joanne confides, “As I read through charts, having MS has opened my eyes to a greater understanding of what others are going through and the experience has helped me to be a better person, a stronger person. I always cared about people, but now I care more.”

Joanne Powers works closely with the physicians in the Oncology, Pathology and Surgery Specialties to collect cancer related data on our patients. She currently maintains more than 800 patients on the registry. Joanne diligently and timely abstracts cancer patient medical records, recording data on treatments, cancer stages and the effectiveness of the medicines. Based on this data, physicians and healthcare workers are able to set protocols, make improvements to cancer therapies and support treatment. Joanne’s attention to detail and her understanding of protocols has enabled her to be a liaison to physicians, encouraging and promoting the use of clinical trials and new protocols.

On a state and national level, the gathered cancer registry data is used to evaluate patient outcomes, monitor quality of life, provide follow-up information, calculate survival rates, analyze referral patterns and allocate resources. The far reaching effects of the work Joanne does make the accuracy of this information extremely important. She has made it her mission to someday find a cure for cancer. In the meantime she prays that the work she does, at the very least, helps to provide her patients with the most effective treatments that improve and lengthen their lives.

Thanks to Joanne’s dedication, we are an Accredited Program through the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. This ensures that our patients receive evidence-based quality care close to home.

– Amy Butler, RN, Chief Quality Officer

Joanne has two sons, Eric, 18 and Matthew, 15. She has always been actively involved in her children’s organizations, including the Wicksburg High School band, the children’s program at her church and the local fall festivals. Her work and personal life have merged into one of service while fighting for a cure. She has expanded her community service to include activities which support groups such as Relay for Life. In 2012 Joanne, along with her entire family, helped bring the first Multiple Sclerosis Walk to Dothan. Unlike many new start-ups, Walk MS Dothan was hugely successful with over 300 walkers, raising $25,000.

Watching Joanne overcome her MS has been an inspiration to her family and those that work with her. Her sons have put in many hours of volunteer work both in her office and with local volunteer organizations. Additionally, as the President Elect of the Alabama Cancer Registrar Association, Joanne is working to bring the state meeting to Dothan in 2014. She wants to raise the bar during the opening reception with dinner and entertainment, geared towards raising money, not only for the Alabama Cancer Registrar Association, but also for Relay for Life. She feels that by linking these two complimentary groups, she can spread the word about the field of Cancer Registry and continue the focus on raising money for a cause.

Joanne inspires others by her level of dedication, attention to detail and perseverance in the face of adversity. In the worst moments of her MS, her son saw her crying in pain. She told him she felt like a burden to him and the family. He obviously carried that moment with him. As he rose to give his Valedictorian address at that year’s commencement ceremonies at Wicksburg High School, her son Eric told everyone what his mother meant in his life. As he began, he clearly echoed the sentiments of what many in the audience already knew, that Joanne is truly an inspiration. His speech was entitled The Gift. He explained that his mother had never been a burden, but that she was a gift. She taught him how to be courageous, caring, and strong. She instilled in him an understanding of his place in the world. He explained that even when his mom is in pain, she always does everything she can for her family, by going to work and helping others. More importantly to Joanne, her son went on to say that everyone is a gift no matter what you bring to this world; everyone has something to give, no matter how large or small.

Joanne Powers is just as inspiring to her coworkers. She never complains, is never absent and is positive. Joanne is there for those in need of an advocate. She supports those who cannot stand, pushes for those than cannot walk, campaigns for those who have lost their voice, believes in those who have lost their faith and encourages the discouraged. She is a hero in every true sense of the word.

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