Acting as an integral part of our multidisciplinary teams at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center, our oncology social workers are available to patients and their families throughout all phases of the cancer journey to help adapt to the stresses related to your diagnosis.

How We Can Help

For patients with a new cancer diagnosis, an oncology social worker can:

• Provide emotional support in dealing with a new diagnosis
• Help with decision making and advance care planning
• Make referrals to community resources
• Present suggestions for helping patients and their families achieve and regain a sense of control in their lives.

For patients with advanced disease, the oncology social worker can:

• Help provide decision making around end-of-life issues
• Provide ongoing support, comfort and resources for patients and their families

• Adjustment to illness/crisis counseling and support
• Support groups/educational workshops
• Information and referrals to community resources and programs (i.e., transportation, housing, financial, legal, Medicaid/Medicare, SSI/SSD)
• Assistance with decision making and problem solving (i.e., advance care planning, guardianship, placements)
• Advocacy

For more information contact us at 1.800.KARMANOS