Judy Hicks of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Named Social Worker of the Year

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St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

May 12, 2010, 10:42 ET

Hicks becomes the third social worker from St. Jude to receive the honor from the Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers

MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Social worker Judy Hicks of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has been named the 2010 Social Worker of the Year by the Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers (APOSW).

The award recognizes Hicks' contributions to children and families affected by life-threatening illnesses. She accepted the award, sponsored by the Children's Brain Tumor Foundation, at the annual APOSW conference recently held in Anaheim, Calif.

Pediatric oncology social work is a specialty discipline committed to enhancing the emotional and physical well-being of children with cancer and their families. Social workers at St. Jude are specially trained in counseling to help patients and family members adjust to the changes that result from the diagnosis of a catastrophic illness. Examples of this might include: helping parents to talk to their child and siblings about the diagnosis; counseling parents and patients about managing everyday life with the demands of treatment; and helping families learn new ways to manage stress.

“We are all very proud of Judy for receiving this award and for the many professional contributions she has made to social work and the field of pediatric oncology,” said Fran Greeson, director of Social Work at St. Jude. “She is an exceptional clinician whose dedication to her patients and families shines through daily in her clinical practice.”

Hicks is the third St. Jude social worker to win APOSW’s top honor. Greeson won the award in 2007 and Beverly Bagwell received the recognition in 1998.

The APOSW is an international organization devoted to advancing practice, extending knowledge and influencing pediatric oncology policies and programs.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering research and treatment of children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Ranked the No. 1 pediatric cancer hospital by Parents magazine, St. Jude is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children, and has treated children from all 50 states and from around the world. St. Jude has developed research protocols that helped push overall survival rates for childhood cancer from less than 20 percent when the hospital opened to almost 80 percent today. St. Jude is the national coordinating center for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium and the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. In addition to pediatric cancer research, St. Jude is also a leader in sickle cell disease research and is a globally prominent research center for influenza.

Founded in 1962 by the late entertainer Danny Thomas, St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world, publishing more research articles than any other pediatric cancer research center in the United States. St. Jude treats more than 5,400 patients each year and is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. St. Jude is financially supported by thousands of individual donors, organizations and corporations without which the hospital’s work would not be possible. In 2010, St. Jude was ranked the most trusted charity in the nation in a public survey conducted by Harris Interactive, a highly respected international polling and research firm. For more information, go to www.stjude.org.

SOURCE St. Jude Children's Research Hospital