I’d like to begin this column by congratulating our newly elected Board members—President-elect Tara Schapmire, PhD, CSW, CCM, OSW-C, Education Chair Chelsea Kroll, MSW, LGSW, OSW-C, and Director-at-Large Jane Dabney, LISW-S, OSW-C. It takes courage to put yourself out there and run for any office, let alone one that is amongst colleagues and friends. To all who ran, thank you for your ongoing commitment to, and support of, AOSW.

As AOSW continues to grow I find myself looking backward as I look forward. Since I’m a true believer in not being able to move ahead if I don’t know where I’ve been, I began looking at our history as an organization. I found a fantastic article entitled “Historical Threads in the Development of Oncology Social Work” from our very own Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, written by 20 AOSW members (Fobair et al., 2009). Forty-two pages long (45, if you include all the references), this article offers tremendous oversight about the development of oncology social work and the coming of age of psychosocial issues of patients diagnosed with cancer. Paragraph after paragraph gives information about these important developments.

I read about the 1908 start of the American Society for Control of Cancer, now known as the American Cancer Society (ACS); the 1955 ACS funding of the first scientific clinical trial for combination cancer chemotherapy, and the beginning of the “War on Cancer” with the signing of the National Cancer Act of 1971. Fobair et al. (2009) continue to educate us, reminding all that the ACS gave oncology social work the “spotlight on the national stage” at their “Human Values Conferences held throughout the country from 1972 -1987” (p. 206). As I continued to read I came across the names of many of our mentors, friends and colleagues as they became the emerging leaders. Quotes are cited from their scholarly articles. I was both moved and impressed to learn of their early work in the field of oncology social work.

We were known as NAOSW, the National Association of Oncology Social Workers when our founders met in1984 (in the offices of CancerCare) to draft our by-laws. Our first “solo conference” was held in 1985 in Houston, Texas. Naomi (Noni) Stearns was our first “President” (Fobair et al., 2009, p. 210). Yep, the same Noni Stearns who joined us in Tampa last spring! That year, the conference theme was “Social Work: A Core Profession in Cancer Care.”

In 1993 the name changed to Association of Oncology Social Work, and here we are today with more than 1,300 members strong, looking forward to our 33rd Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado. The theme for the conference is “Oncology Social Work: Elevating Compassion, Experience & Vision.” I encourage, no, I urge you all to read this article, to learn where we came from. I promise you will be impressed and inspired.

As always, I leave you with a call to action, to make AOSW just that much better by being an engaged and active member. Join us, get involved. Listen to a webinar, better yet, offer to present a webinar, attend the Annual Conference, join a SIG, post on SWON, write an article for AOSW Navigator, volunteer….we’re here, waiting for you…with open arms and a welcoming, warm embrace.

Wishing you all great things in life’s journey…. Just reach out and grab them!
Ali