Cancer Social Work Services

OHSU Social Worker Caroline Macuiba consulting with a patient

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute provides specialty-trained social workers who can provide advocacy, education, resources and compassion to help you and your family cope with cancer.

Social workers make up an important part of your care team. They bring a broad understanding of cancer, cancer treatment, survivorship, community resources, palliative care, hospice care, grief and bereavement.

They are available at several locations and by phone. Services include:

  • Support around adjustment to your diagnosis
  • Help with communication between you and your medical team
  • Information and referrals for community-based services
  • Grief and loss support 
  • Support to you, your caregivers and family
  • Help mediating family conflict related to illness
  • Help with transportation and lodging or housing
  • Help with navigating OHSU
  • Help with advance directives and end-of-life issues
  • Help with palliative care
  • Information and referrals for financial and insurance concerns

Our teams

Abrianna McCarthy, M.S.W., CSWA
503-418-3544

  • Benign hematology
  • GIST
  • Head and neck cancer
  • Lung cancer

Carisa Deethardt, LCSW, APHSW-C (also see Keren McCord)
503-494-8787

  • Blood cancer and blood disorders
  • Stem cell transplant

Cami Godsey, LCSW
503-494-5955

  • GI cancer (colon, rectal, pancreatic)

Gregory Rainey, LCSW, C-SWHC
503-494-9244

  • Clinical trials (phase 1)
  • Melanoma
  • Palliative care (outpatient)
  • Prostate cancer
  • Thyroid cancer

Keren McCord, LCSW, OSW-C (also see Carisa Deethardt)
503-418-5862

  • Blood cancer and blood disorders
  • Stem cell transplant

Sheilagh Diez, M.S.W., CSWA
503-494-6625

  • Breast cancer
  • Gynecologic cancer patients receiving infusions at the Center for Health & Healing Building 2
  • Urologic cancer (kidney, bladder, testicular, germ cell, penile)

Dena Wellington, LCSW
503-418-9768

  • Sarcoma

Bone marrow transplant/blood cancer patients at Kohler Pavilion

Beaverton Community Hematology Oncology

East Portland Community Hematology Oncology (on the Adventist Health Portland campus)

Gresham Community Hematology Oncology (on the Legacy Mt. Hood campus)

Northwest Community Hematology Oncology (on the Legacy Good Samaritan campus)

Tualatin Community Hematology Oncology (on the Legacy Meridian Park campus)

Lodging and transportation

Pediatric Survivorship Clinic

Radiation oncology

Contact us

Call listed providers directly, or call Andrea Lehman at 503-418-9758 or Susan Hedlund at 503-346-0285.

Locations

Center for Health & Healing Building 2
3485 S. Bond Ave.
Portland, OR 97239

Free parking for patients and visitors

Additional locations: Ask your care team or see the “Our teams” section on this page.