AOSW Connections

I’m writing this article after attending our 35^th annual conference in Tucson, Arizona. I have many reflections. As someone who hasn’t spent much time in the Southwest, I am still in awe of the sheer beauty of a desert landscape! My vocabulary has expanded to include words like saguaro cactus and javelina. I now know that Tucson is considered an astronomy capital of the world. At night it seemed like I could reach up and touch the stars. It was absolutely amazing! I also discovered that road runners are real creatures that don’t just exist in old cartoons!

As I reflect on the 35^th AOSW Conference in Tucson, Arizona, it takes me back to where I began my journey with AOSW and what I have come to hold as my professional home.

This year I was lucky enough to attend AOSW’s 35^th Annual Conference in Tucson. Prior to my arrival, I was anxious that my lack of experience would be apparent and that I would stand out as new to my social work career. Upon arrival, I was struck by the strong sense of community. People were friendly and ready to learn and grow as clinicians no matter how many years of experience they had. I was enthralled by the interesting presentations and thrilled to be among my peers.

In June, Tucson was hopping with posts to social media about #AOSW2019! Posts from Facebook, Instagram and Twitter all demonstrated inspiration, learning and camaraderie as well as good old-fashioned fun.

Dianne asks: What do you do when you are at the point of exhaustion and frustration, when you and the medical team are struggling to manage a patient who felt utterly unmanageable? A patient who is exhibiting behaviors indicative of borderline personality disorder (BPD)? What do you do when you and the medical team “cry uncle”—especially the lead doctors who have so many different feelings about a patient who is so provocative, a patient you watched struggle with her own cancer and ultimately, after a year and a half, died in the hospital where you work?

You decide to write about it and present at an AOSW conference: “When Staff Head to the Hills: Clinical Recommendations for Working With the Oncology Patient With Borderline Personality Disorder”

The 2019 conference provided many activities and opportunities to learn about oncology social work research. Here is a brief summary of some of the highlights:

Beginning in August, the Blood Cancer and Bone Marrow Transplant (BC/BMT) SIG will have a monthly online forum to discuss various psychosocial issues in our practice. Each month, we will explore a different topic such as survivorship, medical marijuana, working with young adults and mental health concerns. Even though our SIG is blood cancer and bone marrow transplant, I think many topics will be applicable for all oncology social workers.

What if every woman with ovarian cancer had help setting a clear direction through the uncertain landscape of the diagnosis? Imagine these women having access to a knowledgeable, caring expert who understands them—their lives, disease and needs— a professionally trained guide standing at the ready to help shape a personally tailored plan to feel, function and live well with ovarian cancer. Steps Through OC is delivering precisely that support.

In January, I started my three-year term as AOSW Communications Director, and I can honestly say it has been the start of amost-excellent adventure! As I continue to learn the ropes, it is without reservation that I can tell you that AOSW’s Board of Directors is truly focused on you, the members, the trends in oncology care and the role the oncology social worker plays in all realms. Also, the Board has shown itself to be deliberate in its value on integration and how each subsystem within the organization correlates with one another. I hope you are just as excited as I am to see the continued growth of AOSW!

I’ll never forget learning the word “bildungsroman” in my high school English class while reading Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. A bildungsroman refers to a coming-of-age-story in which a young person sets out on a literal journey and in doing so experiences a psychological, spiritual and/or developmental journey. I have loved that word ever since. It captures so much about how our physical odysseys impact us on multiple internal levels. As oncology social workers, we see this connection frequently, how moving through the physical aspects of cancer treatment can awaken insights and intentions about what is most important in and to one’s life.

“When you’re surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.” ~Howard Shultz
Greetings from the Membership Committee and  your AOSW Membership Director! I am excited to share with you some of the Membership Committee’s accomplishments over the past year as well as our goals for the remainder of 2019.