AOSW Scholarship and Award Recipients
2009 Recipients
Once a year the Association of Oncology Social Work has the opportunity to recognize leaders in its field. AOSW is very grateful to the organizations that sponsor these awards: The American Cancer Society and the National Brain Tumor Society. Additionally, AOSW thanks the National Brain Tumor Society for its sponsorship of five conference scholarships, awarded on the basis of need and merit, and the AOSW membership for its support of the Naomi Stearns Scholarship. This year, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society added another award, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Hematology-Oncology Social Worker of the Year Award.
Susan Hedlund received the American Cancer Society's Quality of Life Award. Susan is working at Hospice and Palliative Care of Washington County in Hillsboro, Oregon. Susan reviewed the past 25 years of oncology social work, from the time when patients were treated "BZ" (Before Zofran) and when the cigarette manufacturers advertised their popularity amongst physicians to our current medical science with angiogenesis inhibitors, biological therapies, advances in symptom management and hope for using genetic advances to prevent and treat cancer. She reminded us of our strengths and opportunities as oncology social workers to continue work with patients and colleagues using our skills of "exquisite empathy".
The Leadership in Oncology Social Work Award went to Dr. Yvette Colón. Dr. Colón is currently working as the Director of Education and Internet Services at the American Pain Foundation, based in Baltimore, Maryland. The letters on Dr. Colóns' behalf spoke of her cutting edge Internet skills and her education, advocacy and research accomplishments. Dr. Colón has been involved in AOSW since the early 1990's, serving as the second moderator of the SWON listserv, writing for the newsletter, serving on the Board, and as co-chair of the Computing SIG and the Website Redesign Committee. In the outside of AOSW world, she has over 30 publications and well over 100 presentations to national and international groups.
The Dennis Roth Neuro-Oncology Social Worker of the Year Award went to Nancy DiPenna-Tharler of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. In additional to providing psychosocial needs for her patients, Nancy is organizing the 2009 National Brain Tumor Society conference on Caring for Caregivers. One of her patients wrote a letter of support stating "as a brain tumor patient myself, she has been an integral support system since day one for myself, my whole family and friends". We applaud Nancy's commitment to providing whole person care.
The Oncology Social Worker of the Year Award went to Kimberly Mercier, a social worker at Webber Cancer Center in Warren, Michigan. Kims' letters of support described her vast knowledge of financial and community resources. One of the letters was from a local news anchorperson who described Kims' work with a young colon cancer patient who earned her MSW shortly before her death. The patient and her family appreciated Kims' inspiration and assistance with helping her achieve her goal.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Hematology-Oncology Social Worker of the Year Award
went to Nancy Boyle, a social worker at Oregon Health & Sciences University in Portland, Oregon. She has been at OHSU for almost 16 years providing support to both pediatric and adult patients. She helped develop mandatory psychosocial screening by a social worker for all stem cell and bone marrow transplant patients to ensure optimal quality of life outcomes. Recently she partnered with one of the physicians to successfully transition patients to a palliative care clinic. She is described as a terrific support for her fellow staff and as having a great sense of humor.
The Naomi Stearns Scholarship went to Dr. Carolyn Lethborg. Dr. Lethborg is the first Region 5 winner of the Naomi Stearns Scholarship. Dr. Lethborg came to t he conference from North Balwyn, Australia, where she is involved in research, direct practice and supervision in the oncology social work department. Dr. Lethborg is described as "one of our 'stars' and as an ambassador for profession and for the organization as a whole. Indeed for the social work profession in Melbourne, s he is a shining light as a practitioner, researcher and educator".
The Palliative and End-of-Life Care Scholarship was awarded to Lauren McCaman. This scholarship is in grateful memory of Betty Vargo, a longtime AOSW member and mentor to many. Lauren earned her MSW from New York University in May 2009, shortly after the conference. Lauren is one of the first Zelda Foster Fellows, receiving special mentorship and field placement in memory of Dr. Foster. Laurens' letters of support indicated a high level of maturity and spoke of her support for patients and families, as well as her school peers.
For More Information Contact:
Association of Oncology Social Work
100 North 20th St., Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Telephone:
(215) 599-6093
Fax:
(215) 564-2175
Email:
info@aosw.org
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