March is National Social Worker Month

When people think of health care providers they see during their cancer journey do they think of social workers? I don't have the results of a scientific study ( would be interesting though) but my impression is that they would not. I certainly would rank them high on my list. In my almost seven years as a cancer survivor I have come to know a number of social workers both at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey(CINJ) and at the Cancer Support Community of Central NJ and they have helped me in countless ways.

So what are some things that cancer social workers do?

• Facilitate support groups
• Work with individuals and families from those newly diagnosed to those trying to find a new normal
• Provide helpful information and resources from transportation to financial resources to disease specific information
• Educate patients in how to reduce stress
• Clarify options and assist in various decisions facing cancer survivors during and after treatment

So thank a social worker this month, National Social Worker Month. They share our joy, help calm our nerves, help us figure out what to do next and have a box of tissues ready for those really tough times.

My thanks go out Julie, Barbara and Rose, at CINJ and to Ellen and Karen at the Cancer Support Community of Central NJ.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing! The blessings of the social workers in my life are countless.