By: Chrissy Rubin, LCSW and Victor Ng, LMSW
Receiving a diagnosis of and undergoing treatment for cancer is among the most challenging, traumatizing periods in any person’s life. From the fear of the unknown to the emotional toll that the treatment can take on patients as well as their families, friends and loved ones, it is often an overwhelming, lonely period for patients who need to rely on the people closest to them for support, comfort, and care.
At the New York Proton Center, providing that network of support is at the heart of our care philosophy. From the moment a patient walks through our doors to the minute they leave – and after – we do everything we can to make their treatment journey as comforting and effortless as possible.
As National Social Work Month comes to a close, we would like to take a moment to acknowledge our work as NYPC’s social workers for the more than 2,000 patients who have come through our doors since we opened two and a half years ago.
As NYPC’s dedicated social workers, we take a 360-degree approach to care that aims to remove as many of the stressors of receiving treatment as possible. We take a bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach to the care we provide our patients and their loved ones, working holistically to support body, mind, and spirit. We help our patients manage anxiety, depression, interpersonal relationships, existential crises, and returning to work.
As one patient said, thanks to us, he received “more support than I could have ever imagined,” a testament to our commitment to going above and beyond for every patient.
Nationwide, there are more than 700,000 social workers like us who do this work every day. There is nothing more meaningful or inspiring to us than knowing the impact we have on patients – this work can literally be life-changing for so many.
At NYPC, we focus on providing supportive counseling, case management, patient advocacy, and education. We provide patients with a wide range of tools to help them cope, ensure they are receiving the resources they need, and the reassurance that they are seen and heard.
We also assist with logistics such as arranging transportation, securing lodging for patients who live too far from our center to make the daily commute for treatment, helping with documents and paperwork, and connecting patients with organizations that might provide them with grants or financial assistance.
Through NYPC’s new Patient Alumni Network, we match patients who have completed treatment with new patients who desire peer support from someone who understands exactly what they are going through.
While this work is challenging, it is at the same time incredibly rewarding and we wouldn’t trade it for the world. We are so honored to work with every patient who crosses our paths – they teach us, challenge us, and inspire us to be better social workers and better versions of ourselves.
The 2022 National Social Work Month theme is The Time is Right for Social Work. Here at the New York Proton Center, we are proud to call ourselves social workers each and every day.
Chrissy Rubin, LCSW and Victor Ng, LMSW are part of the New York Proton Center’s Patient Support team. To learn more about the NYPC care team and how we offer holistic patient support during your proton therapy treatment, contact us and we’ll connect you with a member of our team.
