Former NIHD breast cancer surgeon honored for impact

Harness helped established local breast center

During its conference last weekend, The National Consortium of Breast Centers (NCBC) recognized former NIHD breast cancer surgeon Dr. Jay K. Harness with its Impact Award.

NCBC presents this annual award to an individual, widely recognized for their achievements, which had substantial impact on the care of patients.

During his career, Dr. Jay K. Harness established four breast centers including those at the University of Michigan, Tufts University in Boston, St. Joseph’s Hospital in

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INDEX QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Most people have the will to win, few have the will to prepare to win.”

Bobby Knight

Orange, California, and right here at Bishop’s Northern Inyo Hospital in 2016.

A recognized leader and organizer in breast centers; he has authored more than 100 published articles, 30 book chapters, and edited or co-edited four textbooks. Harness is the past president of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, and Breast Surgery International.

His book and social media effort, “Breast Cancer Answers,” is perhaps the best-known effort he put forward while working with Northern Inyo Hospital.

The book serves as a guide for patients through the cancer journey by answering a myriad of questions. Harness hopes the book continues to be a patient guide for achieving emotional reconstruction during the cancer journey.

In addition to seeing patients at Northern Inyo Healthcare District, Harness helped establish – and remains supportive of – NIHD’s Moonlight Mammograms program, which offers expanded screening hours every October for patients whose work schedules may not allow mammogram access during standard business hours.

Harness also willingly gave his time to speak with several community groups in the Owens Valley, always promoting the need for regular health screenings.

Many working relationships he established at Northern Inyo continue today. Dr. Cheryl Olson now operates the NIHD program he established. In 2020, Harness retired to Arizona, however, his passion for patient care continues. Recently, Dr. Harness serves as Chief Medical Officer for Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, which advocates the establishment of exercise as a standard of adjunctive care for cancer patients.

Northern Inyo Healthcare District congratulates Dr. Harness on this honor and thanks him for his contributions to health care in the Owens Valley.

Photo by Gayla Wolf/The Honey Bee – To see other event pictures, call Gayla Wolf, (760) 872-4015 The Eastern Sierra Cancer Alliance hosted the seventh annual Blue-Ribbon Walk and Run Saturday at Brown’s Town Campground in Bishop. Pictured here are ESCA board members, from left, James Tyler, Michelle Garcia, Cheryl Underhill, Sarah Freundt, Debbie Christensen, Andrea Shallcross, Norma Kryder, Marjoree Neer, Casey Lynch, Michelle Denault and Barbara Laughon. For more photos from the event, see page 5.

Photo by Rosie Graves/Northern Inyo Healthcare District Dr. Jay K. Harness, at podium, accepts the Impact Award at the National Consortium of Breast Centers annual conference held in Las Vegas last weekend. Looking on are Dr. Cary S. Kaufman, of Bellingham Regional Breast Center, and Consortium founder Dr. Barbara Rabinowitz.