Assoc. of Oncology Social Work: Alum Naomi M. Stearns (SSW’74) Reflects on Her Journey as the Organization’s First President
As the first president of the Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW), BU School of Social Work alum Naomi M. Stearns (SSW’74) has witnessed tremendous change in the field. She was interviewed by the organization in honor of Social Work Month and AOSW’s 40th anniversary. Current AOSW president Michael L. Grignon asked Stearns how the organization was started, about the process of formalizing the corporation, and the reactions of other social workers and healthcare practitioners in the field.
Excerpt from “The Beginning of AOSW” by Michael L. Grignon, originally posted on AOSW LinkedIn:
Like most organizations, AOSW started with a vision… All of us were working in hospital settings as most of the oncology social workers were at that time. We started working on some by-laws. Then in 1984, [American Cancer Society] ACS sponsored a conference for oncology social workers and this is where things really got started. They carved out a time during that workshop for us to meet and present to attendees our ideas about this.”