By Briana Joyce, LCSW, OSW-C 

One of my favorite things about numbers and data is the concreteness of it all. So much of social work is working with shades of gray, it can be refreshing to look at complex challenges from the crispness of an Excel spreadsheet. One of my major duties as Secretary-Treasurer is managing the creation and approval of the budget. Budgeting is an interesting way to monitor our goals and numerous accomplishments. It shows how AOSW manages its fiscal resources to support our membership and advance our mission to bring excellent psychosocial care to individuals impacted by cancer. It is an important part of AOSW’s Money Story. (I define a money story as the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs we hold about our ability to discuss and manage our financial life. It impacts how we make decisions and what we prioritize).   

It is hard to believe I am in my third and final year as Secretary-Treasurer. As I review my term, I remember the multitude of ways board membership has contributed to my professional life. I am incredibly grateful for the growth opportunities and the wonderful individuals who make up AOSW membership. This reflection also highlights an area of discomfort many social workers expressed to me throughout my term. When I introduced myself as Treasurer, I often heard “That sounds hard. I can’t do math” or something to the equivalent. This statement and its prevalence in the social work community has me wondering about its origins and how to best overcome this self-imposed limitation. We are a talented, educated, and motivated group. Social workers can in fact do math. It is time to challenge that narrative. In fact, our comfort discussing finances is a vital part of how we can help navigate patients and their families through the expensive and complex oncology landscape.  

As any oncology social worker can tell you, cancer treatment and all the associated costs can get expensive fast.  According to the National Cancer Institute, individuals diagnosed with cancer are at increased risk of financial distress compared to individuals without a cancer diagnosis. Many of our patients and their families look to social workers for education and support around managing these costs. While a discussion regarding budgets and assets may initially feel uncomfortable, it’s an opportunity to learn more about our patients. An understanding of an individual’s money story can help us connect them to resources and empower them to further mitigate their financial distress.  

However, it is difficult to engage a patient and family in a conversation around financial health without a basic understanding of the topic. I encourage social workers to take another look at their discomfort with finances and think about our own money story. As with most skills, budgets and financial statements can be learned and improved. Financial literacy and confidence play an integral part in quality of life, not only for our patients and families but also for the social workers who work so hard to care for them.   

References

Fenn KM, Evans SB, McCorkle R, DiGiovanna MP, Pusztai L, Sanft T, Hofstatter EW, Killelea BK, Knobf MT, Lannin DR, Abu-Khalaf M, Horowitz NR, Chagpar AB. Impact of financial burden of cancer on survivors’ quality of life. J Oncol Pract. 2014 Sep;10(5):332-8. doi: 10.1200/JOP.2013.001322. Epub 2014 May 27. PMID: 24865220. 

PDQ® Adult Treatment Editorial Board. PDQ Financial Toxicity and Cancer Treatment. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Updated 05/24/2024. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/managing-care/track-care-costs/financial-toxicity-hp-pdq. Accessed 07/19/2024. [PMID: 27583328 ]