N.D. Ewing, MD and Vesta Davis, CTR from Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes, Indiana and Ardythe Hester, CTR from Welborn Hospital in Evansville, Indiana saw a need for a cancer registrar professional organization and contacted other southern Indiana registrars in 1977. Eight charter members established the Southern Indiana Tumor Registrars Association’s charter, collected dues, elected officers, developed the organization bylaws, and held their first meeting at Good Samaritan Hospital in Vinceness on April 5, 1978.
The eight charter members of the Southern Indiana Tumor Registrars Association (SITRA) were:
• Vesta Davis, RHIT, CTR, Good Samaritan Hospital, Vincennes
• Ardythe Hester, CTR, Welborn Hospital, Evansville
• M. Imogene Sauer, Union Hospital, Terre Haute
• Bernice Martin, Terre Haute Regional Hospital, Terre Haute
• Diana Carter, St. Mary’s Hospital, Evansville
• Mary Fehrenbacher, Deaconess Hospital, Evansville
• Sue Schnarr, St. Joseph ‘s Hospital, Huntingburg
• N.D. Ewing , MD, Good Samaritan Hospital, Vincennes
In 1983 the organization’s title was changed to the State of Indiana Tumor Registrars Association. In 1986, our organization’s name was changed to its present name of Indiana Cancer Registrars Association (ICRA). ICRA became a tax-exempt organization and established liaisons with the Indiana Health Information Management Association (IHIMA) and the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA).