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Social worker receives award for dedication to mission MUSC Ambulatory Care social worker Elena Bell received The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Partners in Progress Award at its Leukemia Ball on Feb. 24 at Hibernian Hall.    Known throughout the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s organization as a trusted and respected friend for the past 17 years, Bell facilitated numerous family support groups, a telephone support network, and bereavement support group.   “She’s provided us with so many valuable resources and we felt it just cause to show her our appreciation for her dedication to our mission,” said Darlene Benton, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. “We give this award to individuals who embody our mission and recognize them for the contributions and services that they provide in our efforts to find a cure for blood cancers.”   Bell was selected from numerous candidates ranging from fellow health care workers to business professionals in the Charleston community. Her career at MUSC reaches back 17 years as a social worker for the MUSC Holling’s Cancer Center, “where she helps patients and their families identify, express, redirect, and reframe their thoughts, feelings, and actions to create a new normal that includes meaning and hope,” according to her manager, Nancy Draffin.   “Elena works with patients, families and communities to assess needs, locate resources and make systems work. She helps people in crisis at diagnosis, through treatment, recurrence, death and bereavement,” Draffin said. “We are delighted that her hard work has been recognized.”   The mission of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families by funding research, and providing patient education and services.   Friday, March 31, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island papers at 849-1778, ext. 201.