Dear AOSW Members!
As your new president, let me introduce myself. I am Dr. Linda Mathew. I have been an oncology social worker for 24 years. My full-time job is that of a manager at a large cancer center on the East Coast. I have been a member of AOSW for almost 20 years. Never in my greatest dreams would I have thought that I would be the president of AOSW. I am truly honored to be in this role. If you are new to AOSW, welcome home. For anyone who is new to the field of service in oncology, I would like to convey that you are not alone. You are a part of a team of dedicated service providers who work tirelessly to care for others.
We have so much to be grateful for as AOSW members because our organizational committees strive to support us. Everyone, from our Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to our State Representatives work tirelessly to make sure that all of us have a voice, so that we can invest our time in areas we are most passionate about. Through a collaboration of our DEI and Membership committees, we are improving the recruitment and retention of our members by valuing the intersection of race, sexual-identity, gender-identity, religion, and age, to ensure that these identities continue to be fully represented within AOSW. The Education Committee is invaluable in selecting a wide range of webinars to help members fulfill licensing requirements. Our Advocacy Committee works strategically to improve policies impacting our work. Our Research Committee supports studies that positively impact the care of our patients and families. Finally, the Communication Committee oversees daily updates through SWON and our wonderful newsletter.
One of our objectives in 2025 is to have an amazing in-person AOSW conference in Atlanta, during which the time we share is productive and educational. My hope is that all members attend and that participants feel revived and inspired. On that note, I would like to offer a word of thanks to our Conference Planning Committee for their hard work and commitment.
Another objective for this year is to develop partnerships with like-minded organizations as we work together to accomplish goals and improve the lives of all people. In the wise words of Jane Addams, “The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.”
Finally, we must respectfully honor our fiduciary responsibility to sustain the financial health of our organization. I invite you to join me and our board of directors, in working towards each of these goals.
