AOSW Connections

Several months ago, I had an idea for an issue of Connections that could speak to social workers who are new to psychosocial oncology. I felt compelled to support our colleagues who consider themselves part of this group, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint why. Fortunately, the Connections team was on board, and Katherine worked with me to further develop the idea. And now, as we’re publishing this issue, I feel deep joy and gratitude to share it with all of you.

As I step into the role of President of the Association of Oncology Social Work, I do so with deep gratitude for this community and a strong sense of responsibility to the work we share. Oncology social work has always required adaptability, compassion, and creativity.

As we start off the year, the Education Committee is excited to share a few updates!

A friendly reminder that nominations for scholarships and awards are open through March 1– help us recognize exceptional work in oncology social work and expand access to conference participation for our members.

The State Representatives are looking forward to the year ahead of us, and we’re excited to share some recent updates with you!

Advocacy is a central tenet of social work. Our code of ethics identifies social justice as a key value, guided by the ethical principle of challenging social injustice. Further, AOSW’s Scope and Standards of Practice identify “advocacy for protection of patients’ dignity, confidentiality, rights, and access to care” as a component of Standard II, Services to Patients and Families. However, as social workers complete their MSW programs and begin to grow in their work, a divide often emerges between clinical and macro practice. Time and effort are invested in expanding clinical skills, and advocacy can get lost in the chaos of assessments and interventions. In these challenging political times, many social workers are feeling the call to advocacy growing louder.

The AOSW Connections crew is excited to officially welcome Alicia Wlodynski, LCSW, APHSW-C, to our team! For more about Alicia’s journey with AOSW, click here .

Alicia has been spending time with our team during the last few months and is joining us as a Section Editor. She’ll be overseeing the Kudos Column, which we’re relaunching this year!

“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” It was the late Shirley Chisolm who famously stated this during her 1972 presidential campaign. As the first African American woman elected to Congress, she is revered as a social justice leader who urged people to join important conversations without waiting for an invitation to do so. Shirley Chisholm’s work embodies the same values guiding the evolution of oncology social work (OSW). This article explores our field’s collective resilience to demand our inclusion at the proverbial table.

At the age of nine, I was diagnosed with leukemia and spent the next two years in and out of a children’s university hospital in Chicago receiving treatment. I was fortunate enough to achieve remission and move forward with my life. At that time, I believed my experience with hospitals had ended. However, this early exposure to serious illness would later shape both my personal perspective and professional calling.

Oncology social work rarely happens in a vacuum. Our patients carry not only cancer diagnoses, but layered histories of loss, trauma, caregiving, identity, and survival that shape how they experience illness. In my first year as the outpatient Supportive Oncology social worker at the Ruttenberg Treatment Center at Mount Sinai, I have learned that my role has evolved less around mastering concrete tasks and more toward integrating diverse training and experience into a cohesive, whole-person practice.

For much of my professional journey, I have practiced as a medical social worker within community-based and academic health settings, gaining meaningful experience in crisis intervention, interdisciplinary collaboration, and longitudinal case management. Licensed since 2011, I have developed a strong clinical foundation that continues to inform my work today.

When I started in Oncology Social Work, I was right out of school, with a lot of passion and not much knowledge. I felt imposter syndrome and asked so many questions that I was sure someone would tell me I had hit my quota and was on my own. Leadership was not even on my radar.

I became familiar with oncology patients and their families from years of working in hospice. I was very comfortable having discussions about end-of-life care. However, when I accepted a job at Moffitt as an Outpatient Social Worker, I wanted to learn more about oncology care and change some of the topics of my conversations. I asked my manager for a letter of recommendation for a scholarship and the PTO to attend the 2025 AOSW conference. I hoped the conference would provide me with knowledge I could apply in my practice, and that hope was surpassed before I even arrived in Atlanta!

Social workers are integral members of oncology care teams, addressing the psychosocial, emotional, and practical challenges faced by individuals with cancer and their families. As the largest group of psycho-oncology providers in the United States, we bring unique expertise, providing adjustment to illness counseling (and psychotherapy in some settings) while addressing social determinants of health and health equity across the care continuum.

Before I knew what a social worker was, much less an oncology social worker, I wanted a meaningful career. I initially gravitated to public policy and chose political science as my undergraduate degree. I thought I would spend my career as a political scientist. All that changed when I met a social worker. Moved by her tenacity and compassion, I seriously began to consider social work as a profession.

Superheroes vs. Cancer: A gentle guide to help kids understand cancer, its treatments, and what they can do when someone is sick
By Joanna Ortynska and illustrated by Vaughan Duck