Erin Kusek is a licensed clinical social worker whose compassionate presence lights the way for cancer patients and their families in Juneau, Alaska. For the past decade, she has called Juneau home, dedicating nine years to Bartlett Regional Hospital. Her work spans inpatient discharge planning, oncology patient navigation, and—most recently—a split role that pairs oncology support with hospice and home health social work. In an often overwhelming healthcare landscape, Erin serves as a steady guide, helping patients and loved ones navigate complex systems while offering emotional anchors during some of life’s most vulnerable moments.
Erin’s path into oncology and end-of-life care grew from personal experience. Family members touched by cancer showed her how vital strong support teams can be. She witnessed the difference made by professionals who helped loved ones steer through treatment’s maze—appointments, insurance hurdles, medication coordination, and the sheer emotional weight of a diagnosis. That realization drew her to a field where the “system” itself can feel daunting. Many patients, especially older adults or those newly diagnosed, struggle to even formulate the right questions. Erin sees her role as lowering those barriers: making resources accessible, reducing hoops, and freeing patients to focus on healing rather than logistics.
In oncology patient navigation, Erin connects individuals with practical help—transportation, financial aid, housing support, and counseling—while providing a listening ear. Her hospice work adds another layer of profound service. For roughly three years, she has walked alongside patients and families as treatment shifts toward comfort care. She describes it as an honor to be welcomed into homes during final chapters, helping document wishes when patients are still able to express them clearly. By facilitating open conversations about goals of care, she eases potential family conflict and creates space for peace. Families later find solace knowing they honored their loved one’s documented preferences without second-guessing amid grief.
One recent case illustrates the quiet power of her work. A young patient faced a devastating diagnosis and lost their job during treatment, triggering severe financial stress. With assistance from Aurora Integrated Oncology Foundation’s (AIOF) Patient Support Fund—accessed through partners like Cancer Connection—Erin helped secure several months of rent coverage. The relief was immediate: one heavy burden lifted, allowing the patient to conserve energy for recovery rather than survival worries. Erin notes how such interventions matter deeply; treatment stress already taxes the body, and added financial stress creates the worst possible environment for healing.
Another memorable moment involved an elderly gentleman with prostate cancer whose multiple treatments eventually led to a shift toward comfort care. Erin helped facilitate honest discussions about his wishes while he remained fully cognizant. The family gained clear documentation and confidence that they were honoring his desires. That preparation brought measurable peace during hospice, aiding their grief process after his passing. Erin emphasizes that cancer’s slower progression, while heartbreaking, often grants time for goodbyes, “I love yous,” and closure—opportunities she helps protect and amplify.
Beyond direct patient care, Erin collaborates closely with organizations like Cancer Connection (where she now serves on the board) and frequently taps AIOF’s Patient Support Fund, which she calls a lifeline for Southeast Alaska patients. She uses it several times weekly, praising its low-barrier design that delivers timely help when other resources fall short. Colleagues like Ali Cano and Jess Gutzwiler speak of her with deep admiration, noting the multiple hats she wears and the consistent difference she makes across Juneau’s cancer care community.
When not at the hospital, Erin recharges in Juneau’s stunning outdoors. She favors gentle, flat trails—loves beach walks, the Flume, Treadwell, and the scenic but accessible Perseverance Trail—surrounded by towering trees and Southeast Alaska’s natural beauty. Time with loved ones and community events round out her life, offering balance amid emotionally demanding work.
Erin Kusek embodies the changemaker spirit: a professional who turns complex systems into human-centered support, who meets fear and loss with steady kindness, and who finds beauty even in life’s hardest transitions. In a state where geography and resources can isolate patients, her dedication ensures no one faces cancer—or its end—entirely alone. Her work quietly strengthens Alaska’s cancer care network, proving that compassionate navigation and heartfelt presence can transform overwhelming journeys into paths marked by dignity, relief, and connection.
