SUPPORTIVE CARE SERVICES
Charleston Oncology goes beyond treating cancers by providing Oncology Social Workers and educating others about Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning.
Social Work & Counseling
Oncology Social Workers are available to provide patients, family members, and caregivers with additional support and to assist with connection to resources that help meet your needs throughout your cancer continuum.
Palliative Care
Palliative Care is a medical service provided to those diagnosed with a serious or life-threatening illness from diagnosis to survivorship to assist individuals in preserving their quality of life.
Advance care planning
Advance care planning is a way that anyone over the age of 18 can make medical decisions about the care you would want to receive if you become unable to speak for yourself due to a sudden, serious accident or illness.
How social work can help you
Oncology Social Workers are available to provide patients, family members, and caregivers with additional support and to assist with connection to resources that help meet your needs throughout your cancer continuum.
Common ways that Oncology Social Workers can help:
- Assist and provide resources or information on Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security or employment disability applications and/or processes.
- Provide connection to community resources to assist with immediate needs related to food, transportation, housing, utilities, etc.
- Provide information and resources to counseling services, peer-to-peer support services, and support groups for patients, families, and caregivers.
- Provide a space for patients, families, and caregivers to express their feelings and/or concerns and receive support and guidance.
- Support coping and adjustment during the cancer continuum to promote self-care and acceptance of the change.
- Advocate for patients’ wants and needs to other members of the medical team to empower decision-making.
Contact Information
If you are a patient of Dr. Ellison, Dr. Orcutt, Dr. Geils, Dr. Keogh, Dr. Gene Saylors, Dr. Shand, or Dr. Lingerfelt, please contact Elizabeth (Liz) Robinson, LISW-CP, APHSW-C Oncology Social Worker at (843) 577-6957 extension 216.
If you are a patient of Dr. Julia Saylors, Dr. Michaelsen, Dr. Jeter, or Dr. Holladay please contact Hannah Mills, MSW Oncology Social Worker at (843) 577-6957 extension 282.
Resources
Below are available resources for Patients, Families, and Caregivers that you might find useful. Please contact an Oncology Social Worker for additional supportive resources or with any questions.
Educational Resources:
American Cancer Society – Educational information and resources on various cancers provided at: www.cancer.org
American Institute for Cancer Research – Educational information and resources provided at: www.aicr.org
Lowcountry Seniors Services – Classes – Lowcountry Senior Center
Supportive Resources:
4th Angel – Peer-to-peer support for patients and caregivers by matching with mentors available at: www.4thangel.ccf.org
Cancer Support Community – Online support for patients and caregivers available at: www.cancersupportcommunity.org/mylifeline
Cancer Hope Network – 1-on-1 support for patients and families undergoing cancer treatment by connection with individuals who have similar experiences provided at: www.cancerhopenetwork.org
Friend for Life – Support for navigating diagnosis, treatment, and recovery by connection with a trained survivor of a similar experience available at: www.friend4life.org
Cancer Support Groups:
Roper St. Francis Healthcare – Various support groups and classes available for patients provided at: https://callcenter.rsfh.com/WLP2/#!/classes/search or by calling #843-402-2273
Cancer Care Support Groups –
- Website: www.cancercare.org/support_groups
- Location: In-person and virtual
Cancer Lifeline – Virtual and in-person support groups available for patients and their family members, caregivers, or friends available at: https://cancerlifeline.org/services/support-groups
New Image Breast Cancer Support Group – Trident Cancer Center
- Date: Fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm
- Located: Trident Cancer Center
- Cost: Free
- Currently not meeting due to COVID-19. Please call 843-847-4571 to inquire about the group restart date.
Greater Charleston Ostomy Association Support Group
- Date: Second Tuesday of each month at Noon – 2 pm
- Located: Roper SF Hospital
- Currently not meeting in person due to COVID-19. Please call Mary Ellen at 843-708-9917 to inquire about the restart of the group and for peer support.
Powerful Tools for Caregivers
- Website: https://www.thearkofsc.org/powerful-tools-for-caregivers/
- Located: virtually only
- Visit the above link to register for classes.
Ovarian Cancer Support Group
- Website: www.SCovariancancer.org/support
- Located: monthly meeting at designated restaurant
- Date: 4th Saturday of each month, at 1 pm
- Contact: Linda Carmain at 843-642-0345
Cancer Club – Where Hope Happens
- Located: Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church – 302 Hibben St., Mt. Pleasant (No in-person meetings at this time)
- Date: 4th Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm
- Contact: Lib Simmons at 843-884-4612 or email at lmcgregorsimmons@mppc.ne
Multiple Myeloma Network Group
- Website: https://www.myeloma.org/charleston
- Located: Westminister Presbyterian church – Covenant Hall, 1157 Sam Rittenburg Blvd
- Date: 2nd Saturday of each month, 10 am-Noon
- Contact: Carol Cunningham at 919-308-3255 or email at charlestonsc@imfsupport.org
Caregiver Resources
The Heart of the Caregiver – Spiritual supportive resources, small groups, and online courses for caregivers available at: https://theheartofthecaregiver.com
National Caregivers Library – Extensive library for caregivers providing articles, forms, checklists, and links to topic-specific external resources that caregivers might find useful at: http://caregiverslibrary.org/
Help For Cancer Caregivers – Caregiver supportive resources and planning guides available at: https://www.helpforcancercaregivers.org
Palliative Care is a medical service provided to those diagnosed with a serious or life-threatening illness from diagnosis to survivorship to assist individuals in preserving their quality of life. Home Palliative Care teams work alongside your Oncology team. There are various Home Palliative Care agencies in the community. If you feel you would benefit from Palliative Care services, please discuss with your provider or ask to speak with your Oncology Social Worker.
Home Health: Medical services delivered directly in your home by nurses, aides, social workers, and therapists (physical, occupational, and speech) with the goal to treat the illness or injury in order to gain independence.
Palliative Care: Medical services delivered directly in your home or in a hospital setting by nurse practitioners/physicians, social workers, and chaplains with the goal to enhance quality of life while receiving curative interventions.
Hospice: Medical services delivered wherever the individual resides (home, nursing home, assisted living facility) by physicians/nurse practitioners, social workers, chaplains, and aides with the goal of caring for the individual when the life expectancy is 6 months or less.
Advance Care Planning
We all plan for expected events like weddings, vacations, moving, and the birth of a child but we often do not plan for unexpected ones. Advance care planning is a way that anyone over the age of 18 can make medical decisions about the care you would want to receive if you become unable to speak for yourself due to a sudden, serious accident or illness.
Visit My Life My Choices (Community Resources — My Life My Choices) or ask to speak to your Oncology Social Worker.
Three Easy Steps
- Think about it
- Talk about it
- Write it down
Assisting Documents
POST (Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment) – completed by the provider when the individual has a life expectancy of 6 months or less
South Carolina Healthcare Power of Attorney: SOUTH CAROLINA HEALTH CARE POWER OF ATTORNEY (squarespace.com)
Five Wishes (must purchase): Five Wishes | Make Your Wishes Known
Conversation Guide: Your Conversation Starter Guide (theconversationproject.org)
CLASS SERIES: POWERFUL TOOLS FOR CAREGIVERS
Register today for this free six-week series led by our team members Liz Robinson, LISW-CP, Heather Dubose, PA-C, and Hannah Mills, LMSW, who will provide tools and strategies to handle the unique challenges caregivers face. To register, please contact Liz at 843-577-6957 ext. 216 or email.
IN-PERSON CLASSES: 2085 Henry Tecklenburg Drive, 1st Floor – Conference Room, Charleston, SC
- June 14 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM
- June 21 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM
- June 28 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM
- July 5 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM
- July 12 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM
- July 19 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM
PRESENTERS
Liz Robinson, LISW-CP, Oncology Social Worker
843-577-6957 ext. 216
elizabeth.robinson@charlestononcology.com
Heather B. DuBose, PA-C, Physician Assistant
Hannah Mills, LMSW, Oncology Social Worker
843-577-6957 ext. 282
hannah.mills@charlestononcology.com
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Oncology Social Workers provide psychosocial support throughout all phases of a cancer diagnosis including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, Palliative Care, end of life, and bereavement.
In collaboration with the patient, family, and medical team, Oncology Social Workers provide:
Psychoeducation on psychosocial challenges associated with diagnosis and treatment
Navigation, coordination, and linkage to community resources
Counseling services for mild to moderate depression and anxiety related to a cancer diagnosis and treatment
Practical information and education about insurance, disability, advance care planning, and financial and legal issues
Counseling services are now available at Charleston Oncology for patients and their family members to assist with adjustment to a cancer diagnosis and treatment and to provide support throughout the cancer continuum.
If you would like information regarding counseling services at Charleston Oncology or external counseling services, please contact your Oncology Social Worker.