AOSW Connections

Welcome to the final issue of AOSW Connections in 2025! It has been an incredible year for this publication, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the Connections team and the many amazing AOSW members, including the Board of Directors, who have given their time to contribute articles and support this publication. Thank you all, I’m truly grateful to be a part of it.

President’s Message

As we approach the close of another year, I find myself reflecting on the profound and often unseen contributions of caregivers — the family members, friends, and loved ones who stand alongside patients throughout the cancer journey. 

Thank you to everyone who has already submitted abstracts for the AOSW 42nd Annual Conference: Threads of Support: Nurturing Resilience and Breaking Barriers, taking place in Portland, Oregon, June 10–12, 2026. We are thrilled by the incredible response and the rich ideas being shared. If you haven’t submitted yet, there’s still time—the abstract submission deadline is Monday, December 1, 2025. Don’t miss this opportunity to contribute to a conference dedicated to fostering resilience, innovation, and collaboration in oncology social work. 

As Communications Director, it’s my privilege to oversee AOSW Connections, the News Brief, SWON, and our social media platforms. Our directive is to disseminate content related to the field of oncology social work and AOSW. This wouldn’t be possible without the amazingly talented team I work with on this committee.

My mother was diagnosed with a terminal lung disease when I was a teenager, and life as I knew it changed completely. My family embarked on a decade-long journey toward a double lung transplant, and I quickly assumed many responsibilities as our family roles shifted. Like many families in similar situations, we faced relocation, financial strain, insurance challenges, and more. My experience with the transplant team, especially the social worker and transplant support group, sparked my motivation to pursue a degree in social work. 

Caregiving is often described as an act of love, but it can also be one of the most demanding roles a person will ever face. Many caregivers find themselves balancing medical appointments, daily care needs, and emotional support for their loved one, often while trying to juggle work, family, personal health, and other responsibilities. 

When my dad was first diagnosed with cancer, I was still in college – young enough to believe the adults had it under control. By the time I graduated and started graduate school, his pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer had metastasized. Those final months became a blur of medication charts, middle-of-the-night monitoring, and whispered conversations with doctors. 

The disease process of many brain or neurological cancers may often mirror symptoms commonly seen in dementia. When a patient in her early 70s had a sudden onset of dementia-like symptoms after her brain tumor resection, the utilization of community programs for dementia support helped her husband to be able to continue to provide care for her at home.

A kaleidoscope, as described by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “a changing pattern or scene,” “a succession of changing phases or actions,” and “a diverse collection” (3). Additionally, synonyms of kaleidoscope include a “mixed bag,” “phantasmagoria,” and my favorite, a “treasure.” What if we consider a metaphor that caregiving is like a kaleidoscope? That it’s an ever-changing collection of meaningful moments fueled by love, responsibility, and hope, and the treasures within the caregiving experience can be highlighted and celebrated to bring comfort. 

Caregiving for someone with cancer is a profound act of love, yet it can also be overwhelming—an adjective few caregivers admit to feeling. From providing emotional support to coordinating medical care, caregivers often carry a heavy load while trying to maintain their own health and well-being. Data from the Cancer Support Community’s (CSC) Cancer Experience Registry illuminates both the challenges caregivers face and the resilience they demonstrate every day.