As part of your multidisciplinary treatment team including physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals, your social worker becomes familiar with your treatment plan. Your social worker can answer questions, seek out resources, and help relieve the distress associated with cancer.

Patients and family often experience feelings of vulnerability, sadness, fear, and powerlessness. More serious disabling feelings such as depression, anxiety, panic, social isolation, and spiritual crisis can interfere with your treatment and overall quality of life. Through individual, group, and family therapy, your social worker can help you draw on your inner reserves and social supports.

Your social worker fosters coping and adjustment to help you maintain or improve your quality of life during and after cancer treatment. He or she can help identify your needs for support and help you access the supportive resources and interventions you need – whether through developing your personal strengths and resources or mobilizing family and community resources. Your social worker also helps you navigate the health care system.

If you would like to speak with the social worker on your team, inform your physician or nurse.

These members of your multidisciplinary team will help you obtain an appointment and contact information for the social worker.

"Coping With a Cancer Diagnosis" - Table of Contents >>  Be a Member of Your Health Care Team >>  Riding the Rollercoaster: Emotional and Physical Changes >>  Impact on Family and Friends >>  Breaking the News >>  Social Work