Adult Social Work Program

Patients and their loved ones often face many new concerns and anxieties following a cancer diagnosis. Dana-Farber's licensed social workers, working as part of our Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, are here to help.

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Social Work

Our social work team can help you with:

  • Depression and anxiety
  • Distress in response to diagnosis and treatment
  • Concerns about safety in personal relationships
  • Concerns about drug and alcohol use
  • Impact of cancer on your family and caregivers
  • Discussing your illness and treatment with your children
  • Coping with advanced cancer and facing uncertainty
  • Impact of cancer on work, school, and finances
  • Conflict between patient and family
  • Finding supportive resources in your local community 

If you're a parent living with cancer, social workers in our Family Connections Program can help you deal with the difficult task of managing a family during treatment. We also offer special support for young people (ages 18 to 39) being treated for cancer through our Young Adult Program.

Make an Appointment with a Social Worker

617-632-3301

Dana-Farber's social workers facilitate a number of support groups for cancer patients and family members. We are currently running Support Groups via Zoom. For questions, please call 617-632-3301.

Read our Insight blog for information and inspiration about social work help at Dana-Farber.

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Resource Specialists

Our resource specialists can help you with:

  • Local transportation
  • Short-term accommodations during treatment
  • Applications for special financial assistance programs (including pharmacy programs)
  • Other special needs (Food pantry Information, fuel assistance programs)

To contact a resource specialist, please call 617-632-3301.

Our Patient Navigator program is available to those who face language and/or cultural barriers in accessing care.

Tip Sheets for Patients, Families, and Caregivers

How Social Work Helped Musician David Rubinstein

When David Rubinstein was diagnosed with carcinoid cancer in 2009, it had an impact on every part of his life -- including his ability to teach and practice music. Watch as he describes how working with Dana-Farber social worker Bruce MacDonald, LICSW, helped him maintain his quality of life.

Services and Support at Dana-Farber

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Support Services and Amenities

We offer a wide range of services, from financial planning to creative arts to spiritual counsel, to support our patients through their cancer experiences.