Special thanks to the founding Director of the NSW Central Cancer Registry - Dr Joyce Ford
The idea of a written, catalogued registry of man's afflictions in order to understand them better dates to at least the late 16th century. Fast forward four centuries and in 1972, cancer registration began in New South Wales.
Dr Joyce Clinch (nee Ford) was appointed in 1971 to establish
the NSW Central Cancer Registry - the first in Australia. She built
up an internationally recognised facility before retiring in 1989.
She brought a balanced expertise to the job, always requiring high
standard in data acquisition, coding and analysis. Dr Ford
encouraged collaborative and epidemiological studies and provided
information for education, planning and research.
Dr Ford understood the importance of cancer registries; the fact
that they collect accurate and complete cancer data that can be
used for cancer control and epidemiological research, public health
program planning, and patient care improvement. Ultimately, all of
these activities reduce the burden of cancer.
It was her dedication to cancer control and her position that
made her an obvious selection to receive the Medal of the Order of
Australia (OAM) in 2005 for service to medicine, particularly
through the development of cancer registries in Australia.
Sadly, Dr Ford died on May 6th this year but will be remembered
for her development of and dedication to cancer registries in
Australia. We would like to express our deep gratitude and
appreciation for Joyce's significant contribution towards cancer
control in NSW.
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