AOSW Connections
Editorial Team
Editor-in-Chief
Amy Colver, MSSA, MA, LISW
Editor
Katherine Easton, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C
AOSW Communications Director
Brittany Hahn, LCSW
Managing Editor
Patricia Sullivan
Contribute Today!
To submit a story or information for inclusion in a future issue of AOSW Newsletter, contact Amy Colver or Katherine Easton on the list above.
2025 Themes
February: Workplace & Culture
May: Therapeutic Techniques
August: Palliative Care
November: Caregivers
April 2016
Volume 2 | Issue 2
President's Message
Around AOSW: Have You Seen Our Website Lately?
I was heading into a meeting with our HR department and I needed information regarding our “scope of practice” ASAP. I needed the right words to define and elevate the understanding of the role of an oncology social worker. I went to our website and opened the “Professional Development” tab. Listed there were our scope of and standards of practice, which I promptly printed and brought with me to our meeting. So began my tab-by-tab exploration of aosw.org. And, let me tell you! I was impressed by all I found and slightly embarrassed that I didn’t know it was all there.
AOSW Conference
2016 Annual Conference: It's Almost Conference Time!
The AOSW 2016 Annual Conference will be here before we know it! And who doesn’t like the thought of spending time with AOSW friends and colleagues in a great spot like Tampa, Florida? In addition to cherished collegial connections, there are so many other things to look forward to about this upcoming conference!
Explore and Experience: Tampa Build Fun Into Your Itinerary
In keeping with this year’s conference theme, "A Safe Harbor in the Storm", we can expect smooth sailing for the normally temperate month of May. That means you will have plenty of time to enjoy a great conference with warm temperatures and cool activities!
AOSW Research Institute: White Paper Author – Request for Proposals
AOSW is holding its first Research Institute on May 7, 2016, immediately following the Annual Conference, in Tampa, Florida.
Committee Updates
Integrative Oncology SIG: What an Exciting Time to be an Oncology Social Worker!
Oncology social work has always been interesting, challenging and rewarding, which is why so many of us were drawn to this field. Being an oncology social worker was never on my bucket list but as many of you have, I found it to be a profession where I felt at home. I remember attending my first AOSW conference in 1989 in Colorado Springs, coming as a “lone ranger” from Oklahoma City, and my initial thought the first day of the conference was, “These are my people. I belong here.”
The Grand Challenges in Social Work
This research column introduces an exciting concept that is impacting the entire social work field. The Grand Challenges project is bringing the social work profession together to work on and solve 12 major problems in our society. While oncology social workers do not work directly on big societal problems, we work with patients and families who are affected by these issues almost daily.
Education
AOSW Around the World: Krabbameinsfélagið (Icelandic Cancer Society)
In February this year, I had the pleasure of visiting Iceland—also called the Republic of Iceland—which is a beautiful Nordic island country between the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean.
Resources: "We Can Weekend"
In the medical system, the focus is on the patient. We Can Weekend (WCW) is a unique weekend retreat for patients and their families to gather and connect for support, relaxation, learning and fun. WCW was created by an oncology nurse and social worker and is now supported by Essentia Health Cancer Center in Duluth, Minnesota. The program is run by a Resource Center Manager, an Oncology Social Worker and many volunteers, and is funded through private donations, the center’s foundation, auxiliaries and local groups.
SIG Updates
Integrative Oncology SIG: What an Exciting Time to be an Oncology Social Worker!
Oncology social work has always been interesting, challenging and rewarding, which is why so many of us were drawn to this field. Being an oncology social worker was never on my bucket list but as many of you have, I found it to be a profession where I felt at home. I remember attending my first AOSW conference in 1989 in Colorado Springs, coming as a “lone ranger” from Oklahoma City, and my initial thought the first day of the conference was, “These are my people. I belong here.”
Pain, Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care SIG: To Be an Oncology Social Worker Is To Be a Pain Management Advocate
Good oncology social workers know a little something about cancer. Great oncology social workers know a lot about psychosocial stress and coping. Exceptional oncology social workers never forget to learn about pain.
Research
AOSW Research Institute: White Paper Author – Request for Proposals
AOSW is holding its first Research Institute on May 7, 2016, immediately following the Annual Conference, in Tampa, Florida.
The Grand Challenges in Social Work
This research column introduces an exciting concept that is impacting the entire social work field. The Grand Challenges project is bringing the social work profession together to work on and solve 12 major problems in our society. While oncology social workers do not work directly on big societal problems, we work with patients and families who are affected by these issues almost daily.
Kudos
Kudos! Achievements of AOSW Members
It is clear that we oncology social workers are a mighty group, with a tireless passion. We are educators and advocators, planners and comforters. We are brilliant coordinators, our problem-solving skills are incomparable and our well of empathy never runs dry. So before you read the following accolades and formal recognition, please join me and take a moment to honor each and every oncology social worker—because, at the end of the day, we are all in this together.
Member Spotlight
AOSW Around the World: Krabbameinsfélagið (Icelandic Cancer Society)
In February this year, I had the pleasure of visiting Iceland—also called the Republic of Iceland—which is a beautiful Nordic island country between the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean.
Member Spotlight: Lynn Waldman, LCSW
Lynn Waldman, LCSW
MD Anderson Cancer Institute
Houston, Texas
Meet Your Leaders: Cynthia Edwards, LMSW, OSW-C - State Representative for Mississippi
Cynthia “Cindy” Edwards, is one of AOSW’s most senior State Representatives. Cindy joined AOSW in 1990 and has served as State Representative since 1995.