Within the daily practice of oncology social work, the present moment may hold the full expression of human life—joy, sorrow, strain, stress, celebration, fear and more. Any of these expressions of human life can be difficult to stay present to—we may want more of the good stuff and try to get away as fast as …
Professional Development: Mindfulness, Kindness and Oncology Social Work Read More »
What now? This is the question many survivors ask when they reach the end of their treatment. In 2013 we realized we needed to assist patients in answering this question. Often they finish their treatment and are unsure what the next steps are after cancer and survivorship. We began searching for a way to assist …
Resources: Survivors Retreat – Life After Cancer Read More »
No it’s not a misprint. CaRE is Cancer Rehab and Exercise, a joint venture of the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute (Lancaster General Health/Penn Medicine) and the YMCAs of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Wisdom and the history of oncology social work are encapsulated in the form of two women, Naomi ‘Noni’ Stearns, MSW, LICSW, and Hester Hill Schnipper, MSW, LICSW, BCD, OSW-C.
In February 2016, a public health worker in Colorado stood in front of a statewide audience that was reviewing the Colorado Cancer Plan and announced that, in addition to working on the plan, she had also been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. In less than one year she had endured six months of …
Resources: When Comprehensive Cancer Care Includes the Patient’s Children Read More »
I’m writing this from the 2016 AOSW 32nd Annual Conference in Tampa, Florida. To the nearly 500 of you who joined us for three days of learning, networking, friendship and professional development, thank you! This conference wouldn’t be what it is without your participation. I hope you took away new nuggets of knowledge that will …
The new AOSW Career Center is the premier resource for open positions and gaining access to the oncology social work community.
With the arrival of each new school year, many AOSW members take on new interns at the bachelor, master, and doctorate levels. Supervision in practice is an essential component of the social work field. Some may argue that the unique hands-on experience we gain in practice (i.e., managing caseloads, performing psychosocial assessments, and applying theory …
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler taught: You will not ‘get over’ the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the …
Video Review: Changed Forever – Grieving the Death of Someone You Love Read More »
Now in the final year of my formal education in Medical Ethics, I am reflecting back on the last 10 years of professional development in “clinical ethics.” I look forward to serving in a new role as Ethics Consultor in a hospital and clinic. I feel such great affirmation about the competency of social workers …