
Becky Cammy’s ongoing work as a clinical oncology social worker at Jefferson Health is a perfect example of Philly’s heart and resilience. With more than two decades of experience to her credit, Cammy has emerged as a steadfast advocate for those facing the challenges of cancer. But her work at Jefferson extends well beyond providing support to patients—it embodies a mission of holistic care, advocacy, and empowerment.
Cammy’s dedication to the field isn’t confined to her day-to-day work. She’s currently pursuing her PhD in Palliative Care at the University of Maryland; her dissertation is focused on health-related social needs aka social determinants of health.
While Cammy encounters countless heart wrenching stories on a daily basis, she shares one that stands out as illustrative of the importance of screening for health-related needs. She elaborates: “There’s a gentleman I’ve been working with for a few years now who is quite ill with metastatic renal cancer. He lives in Northeast Philadelphia with his significant other and has sort of struggled through treatment. Certainly his nutrition has been a challenge, and Legacy of Hope has been providing regular food delivery for him, and oral supplements, which has been critical. But most recently we’ve learned that his lease is going to be terminated in a few months because his landlord wants to sell the home he’s been living in. He’s been a caretaker for this home for 12 years. He knows the street, he knows his community. So, in the midst of going through routine cancer treatment, unstable housing will be an additional stressor. We’re lucky that we have some time to at least figure things out; so we’ve been working closely with Legacy of Hope to think about next steps. So now housing needs are the newest concern in his case. For a long time now. We’ve been helping with transportation to his appointments; we’ve been helping address his food insecurity; we’ve connected him with other financial grants to help with household bills. His case illustrates not just one but multiple health related social needs, which really contribute to the complexity of his care and his ability, even just to access treatment.”
On top of all this “and he comes with a lot of complicated experience with the healthcare system too— mistrust and hesitancy, and communication preferences and challenges with different providers. So, from an emotional, psychological perspective, the complexity of his case is weighty. We really had to build trust with him, establish rapport with him and his significant other to even let us come in and let him know we were able to understand these challenges without stigma, without shame.”
This type of case, which unfortunately occurs frequently, really underscores the importance of screening for health-related social needs, all of which dovetails perfectly with Legacy of Hope’s efforts to address the multifaceted challenges faced by cancer patients. It’s no surprise then, that Cammy’s long standing collaboration with Legacy of Hope has been a cornerstone of her approach to comprehensive patient care. “Legacy of Hope is an incredible partner,” Cammy notes. “Their rapid response to urgent needs makes a tangible difference for so many of our patients.”

Cammy’s current PhD studies reflect her commitment to advancing the field of oncology social work. By focusing on the social determinants of health, she hopes to influence how healthcare systems address patients beyond just treating their illness. By combining her clinical expertise and experience with academic rigor, Cammy is not only critically important to Legacy of Hope’s mission, she is paving the way for more comprehensive and compassionate care models.
Cammy’s dedication to helping others extends beyond her professional life and into her personal passions. Once again, she’ll be running the Love Run Half Marathon as a sponsored runner for Legacy of Hope. Since her last feature article (Encore) in our blog, Cammy has achieved some noteworthy milestones in her running journey, including an impressive personal record of 45:04 at the Philly 10k; and placing 6th in her age group in the Rothman 8k. For the 2025 Love Run Half Marathon, Cammy is approaching the race with both enthusiasm and a commendable perspective. “My goal is to have a solid winter training cycle and get out there and have fun.” We couldn’t be happier to have her on the team. Her ongoing commitment to raising funds and awareness for Legacy of Hope is a testament to the power of compassion and resilience. Her work at Jefferson Health providing unwavering support for cancer patients and their families, her academic pursuits she continues to inspire and uplift those around her.

Contribute to Becky’s Love Run fundraiser, which helps Legacy of Hope support patients like the one in the case Becky shared. If you want to go the extra [13.1] mile(s)—or 7k—register at https://www.legacyofhope.life/love-run-2025/; and Legacy of Hope will refund your race registration fee if you raise $250. Your contribution could make all the difference for someone facing the fight of their life. For more information about Becky Cammy’s invaluable work on behalf of Philly’s oncology population check out Frontline Warrior.