People hear “social worker” and think crisis, child removal, or something you only need if you are struggling financially. That misconception can quietly keep patients and families from getting support that would make cancer treatment easier, earlier, and more sustainable.

We sit down with KeAuna and Elisabeth to explain what oncology social work actually looks like inside the clinic and across the full cancer journey. We talk about preventative, whole-person support: coping with distress, navigating psychosocial stress, and problem-solving the practical barriers that can derail care. That includes help with transportation, financial concerns, and even applications like disability or Medicaid when life changes fast during treatment. We also share how social work fits into the larger healthcare team, working alongside medical providers to support both the person in treatment and the people who love them.

We also focus on the family system around cancer. Caregivers can burn out, kids need age-appropriate language and emotional support, and households often need community resources to stay steady. We discuss partnerships and outreach that bring tangible help to patients, from local organizations to seasonal assistance, because life does not pause for a diagnosis.

If you have ever thought, “Someone else needs this more than me,” this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who could use support, and leave a review to help more patients and families find Cancer Care Connections.

https://www.virginiacancer.com/cancer-resources/

Thank you for listening! If you're interested in hearing more from Virginia Oncology Associates, make sure to subscribe to Cancer Care Connections on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere podcasts are available, or listen online at cancercareconnections.buzzsprout.com.

Cancer Care Connections is the official podcast of Virginia Oncology Associates. For more information, visit us at VirginiaCancer.com. or find us on Facebook or Instagram at Virginia Oncology Associates.

Nobody wants to imagine a crisis, but most medical emergencies don’t arrive with a warning or a neat checklist. We sit down with Dr. Galicia-Castillo, a leader in geriatrics and palliative medicine, to talk about advance care planning in plain terms and why it should start far earlier than most people think. The goal is not to predict every possible outcome. The goal is to protect your voice and lighten the load on the people you love.

We walk through what an advance care plan actually includes and why naming the right health care proxy matters more than trying to script every medical scenario. Dr. Galicia-Castillo shares a powerful story about how a completed plan can bring peace after an unexpected tragedy, and she explains what can happen when you do not choose a decision maker and state law takes over. We also talk about complicated family realities, including separation and blended families, where the “default” decision maker may not be the person you would want.

From there, we dig into quality of life, how to clarify your values, and how those values guide real medical decisions when technology, such as ventilators, dialysis, and other life-sustaining treatments, enters the picture. We also explain the difference between advance directives (guidance) and medical orders, such as DNR and POLST forms. Finally, we cover practical next steps: where to find conversation tools, how to share copies with your surrogate decision-maker and your doctor, and how to make sure your documents are accessible while traveling.

If you’ve been putting this off, use this conversation as the nudge to start. Subscribe, share this with someone you care about, and leave a review. Who would you trust to speak for you if you couldn’t?

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

The Conversation Project: https://theconversationproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/ConversationStarterGuide.pdf

US ACP Registry: https://www.usacpr.com/

Advance Care Planning Guide and Forms for VA & NC (Spanish Available): https://www.sentara.com/patientguide/advance-care-planning

Virginia Advance Directives Page: https://virginiaadvancedirectives.org/
Link to Forms (scroll down the page under the map): https://virginiaadvancedirectives.org/completing-an-advance-directive/

Thank you for listening! If you're interested in hearing more from Virginia Oncology Associates, make sure to subscribe to Cancer Care Connections on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere podcasts are available, or listen online at cancercareconnections.buzzsprout.com.

Cancer Care Connections is the official podcast of Virginia Oncology Associates. For more information, visit us at VirginiaCancer.com. or find us on Facebook or Instagram at Virginia Oncology Associates.

Cancer changes more than your body. It can shake your sense of control, rewrite your identity, and make everyday life feel like it’s happening in a different language than everyone else is speaking.

We sit down with the Virginia Oncology Associates oncology social work team to talk plainly about mental health during the cancer journey for both patients and caregivers. We walk through the emotional reality of diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care, including fear, shock, sadness, anger, anxiety, and the fear of recurrence that can linger long after treatment ends. We also name something we hear all the time: the pressure to “stay strong.” When people feel like they can’t share what they’re really feeling, they may withdraw, miss appointments, or struggle in silence while juggling financial stress, transportation, work, and family roles.

Caregivers are a huge part of cancer care, and their mental health often gets overlooked. We talk about guilt, isolation, and the heavy burden of trying to hold everything together, plus the subtle signs of caregiver burnout like brain fog, mood changes, emotional numbness, and getting sick more often.

We share practical ways to ask for help in small steps, use community resources, and reframe support as strength, not weakness, especially when stigma and access barriers are shaped by culture, age, race, and socioeconomic stress.

Make sure to visit our show notes for mental health resources mentioned in this podcast.

Resources:

988: https://988lifeline.org/
NAMI: https://www.nami.org/
VOA: https://www.virginiacancer.com/cancer-resources/#support-groups-at-voa

Thank you for listening! If you're interested in hearing more from Virginia Oncology Associates, make sure to subscribe to Cancer Care Connections on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere podcasts are available, or listen online at cancercareconnections.buzzsprout.com.

Cancer Care Connections is the official podcast of Virginia Oncology Associates. For more information, visit us at VirginiaCancer.com. or find us on Facebook or Instagram at Virginia Oncology Associates.