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By Ernesto A. Cerdena, PhD, RT, CRA, FAHRA
Aristotle once said, “To give away money is an easy matter and in any man’s power. But to decide to whom to give it and how large and when, and for what purpose and how, is neither in every man’s power nor an easy matter.” This quote from the famous father of western philosophy hits home to many of us; as we would like to know where our donations go.
In 2003, I joined AHRA. When I first attended the Annual Meeting, I got involved in volunteering for the association. I remember carrying and unloading boxes from donors and arranging these items for a silent auction, where the money raised went to the AHRA Education Foundation (EF) to fund AHRA scholarship programs.
I continued my involvement volunteering with AHRA and the EF, and in 2009, I was appointed to the AHRAEF Board of Directors. This honor meant a great deal to me as it allowed me the opportunity to serve our members on their journey, as they continue to grow and succeed as leaders in confronting the different facets of challenges in medical imaging operations.
By 2012, I had the honor to serve as the Chair of the EF Board and had the privilege to work with a creative, committed, and forward thinking group of imaging leaders. Collectively, we achieved and surpassed many fundraising goals to support various programs, including the Leadership Institute’s basic and advanced tracks; Partners in Learning; CRA Exam Workshops; and many other scholarships and opportunities available to our members. It was overwhelmingly rewarding to personally witness the reactions of our scholarship winners when I delivered the good news to them. To these scholarship recipients, the educational funding meant the world to them, personally and professionally. It was the best volunteer job I’ve ever had.
Fifteen years later, my support of the AHRA Education Foundation remains as solid as it can be. Simply put, I wholeheartedly believe in the association’s purposeful objectives toward growth and development of medical imaging leaders in our industry. I urge every member to do the same. This is a crucial time for us to join together as we face the changes in the healthcare environment which will remain constant for many years to come. We need your unparalleled support as we continue to build our leaders of the future. After all, We are All in this Together!
Ernesto A. Cerdena, PhD, RT, CRA, FAHRA is the corporate director of radiology services at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City, NJ. He can be reached at ecerdena@atlanticare.org.
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