Employee Spotlight: Sara Mansfield
Q: How or why did you choose this career?
A: The short answer is that I have trouble sitting still. But the true answer is that I love learning about how the body moves, sharing that knowledge with others, and guiding them as they find a connection with their body to build confidence and enjoyment in movement.
Q: What is the most challenging part of your job?
A: Unlike some medicines or treatments, the benefits of physical activity are harder to detect immediately. Cancer is different for every person, and I recognize that I can’t truly know what patients are experiencing. Making the argument for moving more when it feels impossible is a big challenge. It takes time to develop a trusting relationship that creates a collaborative environment in which we honor what the patient experience is and move through the discomfort to realize those benefits.
Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
A: Seeing doubt turn to confidence and knowing the work it took. I also am proud to be connected to the part of patient care that addresses their quality of life.
Q: Favorite quote to live by:
A: “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” –Plato
Q: For someone seeking a career like yours, what would you tell them makes O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center special?
A: Cancer Rehab Plus and my position as part of the multidisciplinary Supportive Care team could not have been possible without the Cancer Center recognizing and building on the breadth of scientific data that supports the important role physical activity plays in the treatment of a patient. The O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center is right on track with trends toward investing in patient-centered care with services that give patients the support needed for all aspects of their lives. For someone in the exercise science field, this is an area with huge growth potential.
Q: How have you grown your career at O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center?
A: I came to UAB as part of a research team with Cancer Center member Dr. Laura Q. Rogers back in 2013. The UAB infrastructure and the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center helped support the success of the BEAT Cancer project and the many projects that were adapted from that original research. Research surrounding exercise oncology has contributed to an expansion of programs such as Cancer Rehab Plus and given me the opportunity to put this evidence into clinical practice.
Q: What or who inspires you?
A: I get that feeling of hope and inspiration when I see someone who faces adversity and creates something positive from it. Inspiration is all around if you open your awareness to it.
Q: What do you do on a typical day off?
A: I try to get outside as much as possible, whether it is hiking, catching up on yardwork, or relaxing while sitting in the sidecar while my husband drives our Ural motorcycle.
Q: What is one accomplishment you are especially proud of?
A: Every year on my birthday, I complete at least one cartwheel. They look less pretty as I get older, but having that goal keeps me moving all year long and makes me feel good.
Q: Is there any memorable experience at O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center you would like to share?
A: Most recently, I participated in the Move-A-Thon for head and neck cancer awareness last spring. All were welcome to come and enjoy an hour of movement fun with Melissa Turnage from UAB Arts in Medicine and me. It was great to see staff and providers join in and enjoy a well-deserved movement break with lots of laughter and lightness.
Q: Before working at O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
A: Back in the early ‘90s, I worked on a cruise ship and was able to see many islands of the Caribbean. It was a lot of fun, a lot of work, and a great way to expand my view of the world.
Q: Are there any O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center members you would like to recognize?
A: To get a program like Cancer Rehab Plus launched requires many champions, and I am grateful to all of them for the roles they play, Dr. Laura Rogers and Dr. Danielle Powell for their vision and tenacity, Jordan DeMoss and Trevor Lever for their institutional support, and the many oncology providers who have referred their patients to this program.