In celebration of Social Work Month, we’re shining a spotlight on Megan Dass, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando, Florida. Megan’s journey to social work began with a sense of purpose during her time at the Boys & Girls Club in North Chicago. There, she discovered the impact of being a consistent, safe presence in children’s lives, confirming her calling and commitment to the field of social services.
Megan’s path led her to complete her Master of Social Work at the University of Central Florida and recently attained her Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) accreditation in 2023. She shares, “People love to give back, and I’m lucky enough to be able to do it every day,” demonstrating her dedication to supporting patients and their families through their challenges.
What sets Megan apart is not just her professional qualifications, but her heartfelt connection to the families she serves. Megan shares, “It wasn’t until my husband retired from the military and we moved back to central Florida that I found out about hospital social work from a friend… nothing felt like home like Nemours did. Being a military spouse and starting over every few years was hard, but by coming to Nemours, everyone felt like family, and I fit right in.” As a military spouse, she understands the challenges of starting anew, making her transition to Nemours feel like finding a second family.
Megan also highlights how much she enjoys her job. “I love that I get to work with people who are all equally passionate and committed to what we do as social workers.” She thrives in an environment where passion for the cause is profound, working alongside equally committed colleagues to address the unique needs of each patient and family.
At Nemours, Megan’s role extends far beyond the traditional perceptions of hospital social work. “By addressing social determinates of health—meaning making sure people’s basic needs are met—this allows our families to focus more on the health of their child and hopefully, in turn, spend less time in the hospital and at appointments.” Whether it’s connecting families with vital financial support or providing emotional support during difficult diagnoses, Megan emphasizes the impact that social workers have. “We try to break down barriers and address needs so our patients and families can thrive outside of the hospital,” highlighting the work that goes beyond the confines of the medical facilities.
Megan assists oncology patients at Nemours Children’s Hospital. She feels a sense of privilege and passion for the work she’s able to do daily with these families. “For our oncology patients specifically, I connect our families to foundations who are able to help them with household bills month after month. Once cancer treatment starts, many of our families start to fall behind on their expenses because of the amount of work they are missing. I love that I am able to help our families get their basic needs met, so that can be one less thing they have to stress about. The resources I am able to provide are more than physical gift cards, vouchers, and foundational support. It is extra time a parent may be able to spend at the bedside with their sick child because they don’t have to stress about how they are going to pay the rent that month. It’s a mother or father who doesn’t have to sneak food off their child’s tray in the room because they don’t have money to purchase food during the lengthy hospital admissions. It’s a patient who is able to go home to a house with working electricity and running water that will help them recover from their intense chemotherapy treatment.”
Among Megan’s favorite parts about her role as a social worker is the privilege of providing psychosocial care to her patients and families. “I love the psychosocial care I am able to provide to our families every day. I am with families from diagnosis, throughout treatment, and on through survivorship or grief and bereavement. Sometimes, that looks like being the only other person in a room to support family members as a provider is giving a new diagnosis. Other times, that looks like celebrating a patient at an end-of-chemo party. That is when they are officially done with chemotherapy, which is such a monumental part of their treatment journey.” Megan finds solace and joy in celebrating milestones, no matter how small, with her patients and their families through her ongoing psychosocial care.
One of Megan’s favorite memories that highlight the essence of her impact as a social worker is when a family, amidst their turmoil, thoughtfully brought her a small token of appreciation. “A family member visited a Florida attraction and brought me back a pen. They apologized for it being such a ‘small, insignificant gift,’ as they called it, but it brought me to tears. This family was going through one of the worst things you can go through, and they still thought to bring me something, no matter how small they thought it was. Moments like that make it known that what we do really matters.” These highlights throughout her career reaffirm the significance of her work and the difference she makes in the lives of those she serves.
Megan Dass exemplifies the spirit of Social Work Month, embodying kindness, dedication, and passion in her commitment to her role with our Orlando oncology patients and their families.
