Dear Readers,
For most of us, spring has arrived, and we find ourselves enjoying nature’s most wonderful display. In the words of poet Rachel Carson, “There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature; the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” We hope that you find renewed spirit and energy at this beautiful time of year.
We know many of you are busy both in your practice and professional settings, and preparing for our upcoming annual meeting this June in Portland, Oregon. Planning for conference involves a great deal of collective work and collaboration. We hope you are excited if you plan to attend the meeting in Portland! We are invited to once again “connect” with each other in a shared space. We look forward to opportunities to feel enlightened, supported, encouraged, and energized in this important work and in what has become a rapidly changing healthcare environment. We look forward to sharing the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the many unique aspects of the place I call home.
Welcome to issue 2 of AOSW Connections for 2026. Amy Colver and I are very pleased to share this issue dedicated to current practices in psychosocial cancer care in the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) population. Our writers take a dive into the relevant and timely topics impacting AYAs in the oncology landscape, as well as the significant role oncology social workers play in supporting AYAs and their families.
Meredith Cammarrata, LCSW-R, AOSW President, outlines how oncology social workers support the AYA community and the continued efforts needed in this important arena. Meredith calls us to the annual conference next month in Portland to continue these dynamic conversations.
Next, Nicole Marcouiller, DSW, LICSW, OSW-C, on behalf of the Education Committee, provides a preview of the dynamic speakers and sessions to energize us for our upcoming annual conference.
On the topic of AYAs, Amy Corveleyn, MSW, LICSW, AOSW’s Research Director, provides an interview on psychosocial research in this population and the current focus of it. Anjali Albanese, MSW, LSW, OSW-C, provides an interesting review of the recent NCCN conference, highlighting national practice and policy issues affecting the AYA population. Kiersten Anderson, MSW, LICSW, OSW-C, writes about how work-related values can change for the AYA population after a cancer diagnosis. Megan Cannone, LCSW-C, OSW-C, OPN-CG, writes about the grief associated with being diagnosed with cancer as a young adult and how developing tools in survivorship help patients process this grief. Carissa Hodgson, LCSW, OSW-C, outlines important strategies for parenting through cancer as a young adult. The article authored by Olivia Luginski, LCSW, OSW-C, stresses the importance of fertility planning and preservation for AYAs. Julia Magas, APHSW-C, OSW-C, authors a poignant essay on working with AYAs at the end of life and the important role oncology social workers play in this experience. Jody Sandos, MSW, LCSW, and Juliet McAdam, MSW, LSW, highlighted the development and evolution of a model AYA support group at their institution. Melody Griffith, MSW, LMSW, OSW-C, the AOSW AYA SIG co-leader, writes an important piece on social work leadership in the AYA community. Finally, our Editor in Chief, Amy Colver, LISW, OSW-C, provides a book review on Coping with Cancer in Early Adulthood by Dr. Cristina Pozo-Kaderman and Saul Wisnia.
Last, but not least, the Kudos column is officially back in print! We hope you check out who’s being recognized in this issue and how you can submit recognitions for future issues.
We hope you enjoy connecting with our very talented writers who share a bit about the important work that they do on behalf of AYAs.
Look forward to seeing you in Portland!
Katherine Easton, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C
