Historical threads in the development of oncology social work

Patricia Fobair; Naomi Noni Stearns; Grace Christ; Deborah Dozier-Hall; Nancy W. Newman; James Zabora; Hester Hill Schnipper; Vicki Kennedy; Matthew Loscalzo; Susan M. Stensland; Susan Hedlund; Marie M. Lauria; Michael Fife; Joyce Herschl; Carol P. Marcusen; Virginia Vaitones; Karlynn Brintzenhofeszoc; Katherine Walsh; Kimberly Lawson; Marcia Desonier

doi:10.1080/07347330902775301

Historical threads in the development of oncology social work

Patricia Fobair, Naomi Noni Stearns, Grace Christ, Deborah Dozier-Hall, Nancy W. Newman, James Zabora, Hester Hill Schnipper, Vicki Kennedy, Matthew Loscalzo, Susan M. Stensland, Susan Hedlund, Marie M. Lauria, Michael Fife, Joyce Herschl, Carol P. Marcusen, Virginia Vaitones, Karlynn Brintzenhofeszoc, Katherine Walsh, Kimberly Lawson, Marcia Desonier

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

As the Association of Oncology Social Work celebrates its 25th year, we pause to reflect on the many historical threads that contributed to its development and hear from each of the presidents who helped create the organization, as we know it today. Set within hospitals, medical social work was born in the early 20th century. In the 1940s medical social work became necessary for hospital accreditation. Two additional historical shifts, one in medical improvements in treating cancer, the other a shift to a consumer-oriented American Cancer Society, contributed to the push for a greater role for the federal government in funding cancer research. Oncology social work came to full blossom in the 1970s, a result of the physicians' need for a member of the health care team who understood cancer, its treatment, and the patient's need to address his or her psychosocial needs resulting from cancer. Today, oncology social work is a fully developed profession with a national organization providing education and support to oncology social workers' in their use of psychosocial interventions and research in behalf of cancer patients and their families.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	155-215
Number of pages	61
Journal	Journal of Psychosocial Oncology
Volume	27
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/07347330902775301
State	Published - Apr 2009
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Oncology
Applied Psychology
Psychiatry and Mental health

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10.1080/07347330902775301

Cite this

Fobair, P., Stearns, N. N., Christ, G., Dozier-Hall, D., Newman, N. W., Zabora, J., Schnipper, H. H., Kennedy, V., Loscalzo, M., Stensland, S. M., Hedlund, S., Lauria, M. M., Fife, M., Herschl, J., Marcusen, C. P., Vaitones, V., Brintzenhofeszoc, K., Walsh, K., Lawson, K., & Desonier, M. (2009). Historical threads in the development of oncology social work. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 27(2), 155-215. https://doi.org/10.1080/07347330902775301

Fobair, P, Stearns, NN, Christ, G, Dozier-Hall, D, Newman, NW, Zabora, J, Schnipper, HH, Kennedy, V, Loscalzo, M, Stensland, SM, Hedlund, S, Lauria, MM, Fife, M, Herschl, J, Marcusen, CP, Vaitones, V, Brintzenhofeszoc, K, Walsh, K, Lawson, K & Desonier, M 2009, 'Historical threads in the development of oncology social work', Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 155-215. https://doi.org/10.1080/07347330902775301

@article{d3623908ce0b46b38efbb307f837c5a2,

title = "Historical threads in the development of oncology social work",

abstract = "As the Association of Oncology Social Work celebrates its 25th year, we pause to reflect on the many historical threads that contributed to its development and hear from each of the presidents who helped create the organization, as we know it today. Set within hospitals, medical social work was born in the early 20th century. In the 1940s medical social work became necessary for hospital accreditation. Two additional historical shifts, one in medical improvements in treating cancer, the other a shift to a consumer-oriented American Cancer Society, contributed to the push for a greater role for the federal government in funding cancer research. Oncology social work came to full blossom in the 1970s, a result of the physicians' need for a member of the health care team who understood cancer, its treatment, and the patient's need to address his or her psychosocial needs resulting from cancer. Today, oncology social work is a fully developed profession with a national organization providing education and support to oncology social workers' in their use of psychosocial interventions and research in behalf of cancer patients and their families.",

author = "Patricia Fobair and Stearns, {Naomi Noni} and Grace Christ and Deborah Dozier-Hall and Newman, {Nancy W.} and James Zabora and Schnipper, {Hester Hill} and Vicki Kennedy and Matthew Loscalzo and Stensland, {Susan M.} and Susan Hedlund and Lauria, {Marie M.} and Michael Fife and Joyce Herschl and Marcusen, {Carol P.} and Virginia Vaitones and Karlynn Brintzenhofeszoc and Katherine Walsh and Kimberly Lawson and Marcia Desonier",

note = "Funding Information: AOSW received another nonrestricted educational grant from Genen-tech, Inc. to develop another Toolbox called “Oncology Social Work Toolbox: Building Advocacy Skills.” The goal is to further educate oncology social workers about the Cancer Survival Toolbox and the importance of helping survivors learn essential self-advocacy skills. An advocacy-training workshop was presented at the Vancouver conference with plans to develop a web-based learning program through the AOSW web site. The Oncology Social Work Toolbox will cover the advocacy continuum from personal/ self-advocacy to institutional advocacy through community and political advocacy. The Project Core Team members were Elizabeth Clark, Carol Mar-cusen, Katherine Walsh-Burke, and Marie Lauria. Funding Information: We had three guest speakers at the fall Board meeting. The first speaker was a nonprofit development director that addressed the fundamentals of fund raising. The second speaker was our attorney who specialized in nonprofits. He addressed the legal issues, which affect nonprofit groups like AOSW. After listening to the lawyer, the board voted to explore reestablishing a 501-c-6 (business and membership) to help us carry out the goal of starting an oncology social work certification program. For a nonprofit organization, it is beneficial and allows flexibility to have a 501-c-3 and 501-c-6 tax status. A third day had been added to the board meeting to allow for leadership training. This program was funded by a grant from Genentech. Ten members from AOSW plus the board were lead through leadership exercises and learned how leadership styles impact on how the group functions. Marie Lauria and Carol Marcusen had secured the funding for the grant and Sondra Van Sant from North Carolina to lead the exercises. Funding Information: AOSW{\textquoteright}s 18th annual conference, Exploring The Dream was held in Atlanta, GA, on May 4–7, 2002. Lynn Behar, conference chair, and her conference planning committee provided a rich educational opportunity for attendees. Special features included keynote speakers Congressman John Lewis and Mr. Hamilton Jordan, the First Annual Quality of Life In Cancer Lecture by Dr. Elizabeth Clark, sponsored by the ACS, and the offering of specialty tracks in leadership, bone marrow transplant, pain management, and end of life care. A special general session included a panel of speakers that spoke to “The World Trade Center Tragedy: The Oncology Social Work Response and the Lessons Learned.” AOSW provided a 6-hour workshop at the annual conference in Atlanta devoted to clinical trials. This workshop was funded through a special conference grant from NCI. AOSW also provided a Leadership Tract at the annual conference in Atlanta. This was funded through the 2002 Genentech sponsored grant. Funding Information: All AOSW regions also experienced growth during the year. Region IV held a two-day conference in New Jersey. AOSW also cosponsored the November educational conference of the Oncology Social Work Organization of Southern California. Talks began with Australian members about creating an exchange program. AOSW{\textquoteright}s 11 SIGS continued to function in various ways throughout the year, working to enhance the knowledge and skills of members. AOSW{\textquoteright}s SWORG produced “The Psychosocial Research Kit: Tools for the Practice Evaluation of Oncology Social Work,” authored by Elizabeth Smith and Barbara Early. In addition, SWORG facilitated participation by interested members in an interinstitutional study, Death and the Caregiver{\textquoteright}s Inner Life, funded by the Nathan Cummings Foundation through Johns Hopkins Oncology Center. Elizabeth Smith and James Zabora were coprincipal investigators. Funding Information: As president, I was invited to attend two “Summits,” one sponsored by ONS and the other by NASW. The first summit “Health Policy Partners” I attended was sponsored by ONS, held at their new offices in Pittsburgh. Other groups in attendance were American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), US ONCOLOGY (a leading health care services network), NCCS, ACS, and Association of Community Cancer Centers. The second summit was sponsored by NASW, “Building a Positive Image and Greater Influences for the Social Work Profession through Social Work Advocacy, Practice, Education and Research. “The Journey Shared” was the conference theme for 2003. The conference held in Salt Lake City, UT, from April 9–11, 2003. The keynote speakers selected were Hester Hill Schnipper, Rachel Naomi Remen, and Jonathan Young. Late in the fall, Carolyn Russell had to step down as conference chair due to a family tragedy. Kim Day, Education chair stepped in and kept all the conference planning on tract. There were 330 AOSW members in attendance. This was the first AOSW conference that our management company, under the leadership of Jessica Widing, took care of the details of working with the hotel, exhibitors, and food. Funding Information: The ACS was responsible for offering oncology social work a spotlight on the national stage with their invitations to participate in the multidisciplinary talks given at the “Human Values Conferences” held throughout the United States 1972–1987. These conferences provided space for networking and discussion of research and practice. Those attending shared knowledge on the needs of cancer patients and survivors (Fobair, 1981, 1987). Social workers participating in the Human Values Conferences included Joan Herman, Judith Ross, Pat Fobair, Grace Christ, and Marie Lauria (ACS, 1972–1987, #3929). The Human Values Conferences stimulated interest in the patients{\textquoteright} experience and recognized the collaborative research funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the ACS, and the NCI Division of Cancer Control (Christ, 1984; Fobair, 1979; Fobair et al., 1986; Fobair et al., 2001; Stearns, 1984). Funding Information: In June, Dr. Richard Klausner, then NCI director, invited AOSW officers to meet with him and key NCI staff (including past President Deborah Dozier-Hall) to discuss issues of importance to AOSW. Marie, Michael and Joyce Herschl traveled to Washington, D.C., to review collaborative projects and explore new opportunities for working with NCI. The 1999 annual conference, chaired by Linda Diaz, was held in New Orleans, LA, May 26–29. Its theme was “New Visions: Expanding Opportunities.” AOSW{\textquoteright}s 15th anniversary was celebrated by reviewing highlights from AOSW{\textquoteright}s past at a reception honoring AOSW past presidents. Susan Hedlund won the Oncology Social Work Leadership Award, sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Rene Barrat-Gordon was named Oncology Social Worker of the Year, an award underwritten by The Leukemia Society of America. The National Brain Tumor Award for Brain Tumor Social Worker of the Year went to Charlene Amato. Dr. Jimmie Holland was given an AOSW Special Recognition Award for her outstanding contributions to psychosocial oncology. Marcia DeSonier and her committee began planning for AOSW{\textquoteright}s first international 2000 conference in Vancouver, B.C., and its first of the 21st century. Funding Information: AOSW also worked with the corporate community to support our goals of education and advocacy. Genentech provided continued funding for the Cancer Survival Toolbox and for a continuation grant for the Social Work Toolbox. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Death in America provided support through a grant for two web courses on end-of-life care. Conference 2002 corporate support included Amgen, Aventis Pharmaceuticals, US, AstraZeneca, Illuminations, Novartis, OrthoBiotech, NCS Assessments, Precision Therapeutics, Inc., and US Oncology. Other support came from Angel Flight America, Apria Healthcare, Cancer Care, Inc., Cancer Hope Network, Georgia Cancer Foundation, Kidney Cancer Association, and the Komen Foundation. Funding Information: Following the blueprint of Focus 2002: Three-Year Strategic Plan for AOSW, the Board began a process of assessment and revision to provide organizational support and management support to insure that AOSW would continue to grow and flourish. The increase in special projects and grants, such as The Cancer Survival Toolbox, a collaborative effort with AOSW, ONS, and NCCS funded by a major continuing education grant from Genentech, brought fiscal soundness. However, the complexity of effective management of the funds involved in these projects had grown beyond what AOSW could reasonably expect from a volunteer MSW treasurer, and the Board elected to contract with a professional association management company to assist with financial services and database management.",

year = "2009",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1080/07347330902775301",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "27",

pages = "155--215",

journal = "Journal of Psychosocial Oncology",

issn = "0734-7332",

publisher = "Routledge",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Historical threads in the development of oncology social work

AU - Fobair, Patricia

AU - Stearns, Naomi Noni

AU - Christ, Grace

AU - Dozier-Hall, Deborah

AU - Newman, Nancy W.

AU - Zabora, James

AU - Schnipper, Hester Hill

AU - Kennedy, Vicki

AU - Loscalzo, Matthew

AU - Stensland, Susan M.

AU - Hedlund, Susan

AU - Lauria, Marie M.

AU - Fife, Michael

AU - Herschl, Joyce

AU - Marcusen, Carol P.

AU - Vaitones, Virginia

AU - Brintzenhofeszoc, Karlynn

AU - Walsh, Katherine

AU - Lawson, Kimberly

AU - Desonier, Marcia

N1 - Funding Information: AOSW received another nonrestricted educational grant from Genen-tech, Inc. to develop another Toolbox called “Oncology Social Work Toolbox: Building Advocacy Skills.” The goal is to further educate oncology social workers about the Cancer Survival Toolbox and the importance of helping survivors learn essential self-advocacy skills. An advocacy-training workshop was presented at the Vancouver conference with plans to develop a web-based learning program through the AOSW web site. The Oncology Social Work Toolbox will cover the advocacy continuum from personal/ self-advocacy to institutional advocacy through community and political advocacy. The Project Core Team members were Elizabeth Clark, Carol Mar-cusen, Katherine Walsh-Burke, and Marie Lauria. Funding Information: We had three guest speakers at the fall Board meeting. The first speaker was a nonprofit development director that addressed the fundamentals of fund raising. The second speaker was our attorney who specialized in nonprofits. He addressed the legal issues, which affect nonprofit groups like AOSW. After listening to the lawyer, the board voted to explore reestablishing a 501-c-6 (business and membership) to help us carry out the goal of starting an oncology social work certification program. For a nonprofit organization, it is beneficial and allows flexibility to have a 501-c-3 and 501-c-6 tax status. A third day had been added to the board meeting to allow for leadership training. This program was funded by a grant from Genentech. Ten members from AOSW plus the board were lead through leadership exercises and learned how leadership styles impact on how the group functions. Marie Lauria and Carol Marcusen had secured the funding for the grant and Sondra Van Sant from North Carolina to lead the exercises. Funding Information: AOSW’s 18th annual conference, Exploring The Dream was held in Atlanta, GA, on May 4–7, 2002. Lynn Behar, conference chair, and her conference planning committee provided a rich educational opportunity for attendees. Special features included keynote speakers Congressman John Lewis and Mr. Hamilton Jordan, the First Annual Quality of Life In Cancer Lecture by Dr. Elizabeth Clark, sponsored by the ACS, and the offering of specialty tracks in leadership, bone marrow transplant, pain management, and end of life care. A special general session included a panel of speakers that spoke to “The World Trade Center Tragedy: The Oncology Social Work Response and the Lessons Learned.” AOSW provided a 6-hour workshop at the annual conference in Atlanta devoted to clinical trials. This workshop was funded through a special conference grant from NCI. AOSW also provided a Leadership Tract at the annual conference in Atlanta. This was funded through the 2002 Genentech sponsored grant. Funding Information: All AOSW regions also experienced growth during the year. Region IV held a two-day conference in New Jersey. AOSW also cosponsored the November educational conference of the Oncology Social Work Organization of Southern California. Talks began with Australian members about creating an exchange program. AOSW’s 11 SIGS continued to function in various ways throughout the year, working to enhance the knowledge and skills of members. AOSW’s SWORG produced “The Psychosocial Research Kit: Tools for the Practice Evaluation of Oncology Social Work,” authored by Elizabeth Smith and Barbara Early. In addition, SWORG facilitated participation by interested members in an interinstitutional study, Death and the Caregiver’s Inner Life, funded by the Nathan Cummings Foundation through Johns Hopkins Oncology Center. Elizabeth Smith and James Zabora were coprincipal investigators. Funding Information: As president, I was invited to attend two “Summits,” one sponsored by ONS and the other by NASW. The first summit “Health Policy Partners” I attended was sponsored by ONS, held at their new offices in Pittsburgh. Other groups in attendance were American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), US ONCOLOGY (a leading health care services network), NCCS, ACS, and Association of Community Cancer Centers. The second summit was sponsored by NASW, “Building a Positive Image and Greater Influences for the Social Work Profession through Social Work Advocacy, Practice, Education and Research. “The Journey Shared” was the conference theme for 2003. The conference held in Salt Lake City, UT, from April 9–11, 2003. The keynote speakers selected were Hester Hill Schnipper, Rachel Naomi Remen, and Jonathan Young. Late in the fall, Carolyn Russell had to step down as conference chair due to a family tragedy. Kim Day, Education chair stepped in and kept all the conference planning on tract. There were 330 AOSW members in attendance. This was the first AOSW conference that our management company, under the leadership of Jessica Widing, took care of the details of working with the hotel, exhibitors, and food. Funding Information: The ACS was responsible for offering oncology social work a spotlight on the national stage with their invitations to participate in the multidisciplinary talks given at the “Human Values Conferences” held throughout the United States 1972–1987. These conferences provided space for networking and discussion of research and practice. Those attending shared knowledge on the needs of cancer patients and survivors (Fobair, 1981, 1987). Social workers participating in the Human Values Conferences included Joan Herman, Judith Ross, Pat Fobair, Grace Christ, and Marie Lauria (ACS, 1972–1987, #3929). The Human Values Conferences stimulated interest in the patients’ experience and recognized the collaborative research funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the ACS, and the NCI Division of Cancer Control (Christ, 1984; Fobair, 1979; Fobair et al., 1986; Fobair et al., 2001; Stearns, 1984). Funding Information: In June, Dr. Richard Klausner, then NCI director, invited AOSW officers to meet with him and key NCI staff (including past President Deborah Dozier-Hall) to discuss issues of importance to AOSW. Marie, Michael and Joyce Herschl traveled to Washington, D.C., to review collaborative projects and explore new opportunities for working with NCI. The 1999 annual conference, chaired by Linda Diaz, was held in New Orleans, LA, May 26–29. Its theme was “New Visions: Expanding Opportunities.” AOSW’s 15th anniversary was celebrated by reviewing highlights from AOSW’s past at a reception honoring AOSW past presidents. Susan Hedlund won the Oncology Social Work Leadership Award, sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Rene Barrat-Gordon was named Oncology Social Worker of the Year, an award underwritten by The Leukemia Society of America. The National Brain Tumor Award for Brain Tumor Social Worker of the Year went to Charlene Amato. Dr. Jimmie Holland was given an AOSW Special Recognition Award for her outstanding contributions to psychosocial oncology. Marcia DeSonier and her committee began planning for AOSW’s first international 2000 conference in Vancouver, B.C., and its first of the 21st century. Funding Information: AOSW also worked with the corporate community to support our goals of education and advocacy. Genentech provided continued funding for the Cancer Survival Toolbox and for a continuation grant for the Social Work Toolbox. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Death in America provided support through a grant for two web courses on end-of-life care. Conference 2002 corporate support included Amgen, Aventis Pharmaceuticals, US, AstraZeneca, Illuminations, Novartis, OrthoBiotech, NCS Assessments, Precision Therapeutics, Inc., and US Oncology. Other support came from Angel Flight America, Apria Healthcare, Cancer Care, Inc., Cancer Hope Network, Georgia Cancer Foundation, Kidney Cancer Association, and the Komen Foundation. Funding Information: Following the blueprint of Focus 2002: Three-Year Strategic Plan for AOSW, the Board began a process of assessment and revision to provide organizational support and management support to insure that AOSW would continue to grow and flourish. The increase in special projects and grants, such as The Cancer Survival Toolbox, a collaborative effort with AOSW, ONS, and NCCS funded by a major continuing education grant from Genentech, brought fiscal soundness. However, the complexity of effective management of the funds involved in these projects had grown beyond what AOSW could reasonably expect from a volunteer MSW treasurer, and the Board elected to contract with a professional association management company to assist with financial services and database management.

PY - 2009/4

Y1 - 2009/4

N2 - As the Association of Oncology Social Work celebrates its 25th year, we pause to reflect on the many historical threads that contributed to its development and hear from each of the presidents who helped create the organization, as we know it today. Set within hospitals, medical social work was born in the early 20th century. In the 1940s medical social work became necessary for hospital accreditation. Two additional historical shifts, one in medical improvements in treating cancer, the other a shift to a consumer-oriented American Cancer Society, contributed to the push for a greater role for the federal government in funding cancer research. Oncology social work came to full blossom in the 1970s, a result of the physicians' need for a member of the health care team who understood cancer, its treatment, and the patient's need to address his or her psychosocial needs resulting from cancer. Today, oncology social work is a fully developed profession with a national organization providing education and support to oncology social workers' in their use of psychosocial interventions and research in behalf of cancer patients and their families.

AB - As the Association of Oncology Social Work celebrates its 25th year, we pause to reflect on the many historical threads that contributed to its development and hear from each of the presidents who helped create the organization, as we know it today. Set within hospitals, medical social work was born in the early 20th century. In the 1940s medical social work became necessary for hospital accreditation. Two additional historical shifts, one in medical improvements in treating cancer, the other a shift to a consumer-oriented American Cancer Society, contributed to the push for a greater role for the federal government in funding cancer research. Oncology social work came to full blossom in the 1970s, a result of the physicians' need for a member of the health care team who understood cancer, its treatment, and the patient's need to address his or her psychosocial needs resulting from cancer. Today, oncology social work is a fully developed profession with a national organization providing education and support to oncology social workers' in their use of psychosocial interventions and research in behalf of cancer patients and their families.

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U2 - 10.1080/07347330902775301

DO - 10.1080/07347330902775301

M3 - Review article

C2 - 19337929

AN - SCOPUS:67649690941

SN - 0734-7332

VL - 27

SP - 155

EP - 215

JO - Journal of Psychosocial Oncology

JF - Journal of Psychosocial Oncology

IS - 2

ER -

Historical threads in the development of oncology social work

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