ASPHO Webinars Connect Learners to the Latest in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinical Treatment, Best Practices, and Professional Development

With contemporary cancer therapy, survival for AYA patients exceeds 80%. Unfortunately, the therapy required to cure cancer often has short- and long-term health consequences. One of these long-term toxicities is a negative impact on a cancer survivor’s fertility. There used to be few options available, but with greater awareness, earlier interventions, and improved reproductive technologies, our patients have options for fertility preservation before starting therapy and during survivorship. This webinar will review the impact of cancer and treatment on fertility, including the modalities of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. It will then educate the audience about the choices patients with cancer have to preserve fertility before therapy and to restore fertility when they are survivors. The speakers will review both standards of care and experimental approaches to this important problem. We will examine the barriers to the broader use of these techniques and identify strategies to overcome these barriers so that more cancer survivors will be able to have children if they so choose.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the impact that cancer and cancer therapy can have on future fertility in AYA oncology patients,
2. Describe modern fertility preservation techniques that can be used in these patients,
3. Identify the barriers to the use of these techniques and explore local and national strategies to overcome them.

Speakers

Pinki Prasad, MD MPH (moderator)
Jennifer L. Reichek, MD MSW
Karen C. Burns, MD MS
Jennifer M. Levine, MD

The webinar features a lecture presentation followed by recorded Q/A with the presenters. Once registered, access to the recorded webinar will be provided in your ASPHO My Library. Please contact ASPHO Member Services at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 847.375.4716 with any questions.

Cancer and its related treatment are highly stressful and potentially traumatic life events for young children with cancer and their parents. Active Music Engagement (AME) is a music therapist-delivered intervention that uses music-based play to address the interrelated distress experienced by young children (ages 3-8 years) and their parents. Findings from two NIH-funded mechanistic trials indicate that AME can significantly lower child distress and fatigue and buffer traumatic stress symptoms in parents during cancer treatment. Mediation analyses indicate the importance of parent-child interaction as a significant pathway for improved well-being. Moderation analyses indicate AME is particularly beneficial for parents who screen high for traumatic stress and who report higher distress in their child, supporting AME as an evidence-based intervention to address the needs of our most highly distressed parents and children.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe key theoretical concepts that inform the Active Music Engagement intervention
2. Identify benefits of AME for young children and parents
3. Define the role of music engagement and parent-child interaction as an important mediator of parent well-being and lower traumatic stress symptoms

Speakers

Karen Moody, MD (moderator)
Sheri L. Robb, PhD, MT-BC

The webinar features a lecture presentation followed by recorded Q/A with the presenters. Once registered, access to the recorded webinar will be provided in your ASPHO My Library. Please contact ASPHO Member Services at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 847.375.4716 with any questions.

Retinoblastoma care continues to advance and evolve, with increasing rates of globe salvage being achieved. Excellent Retinoblastoma care is best provided by a multidisciplinary team. This webinar will review the advances in current Retinoblastoma care and strategies to achieve this with a team approach.

Learning Objectives

1. Highlight current diagnostic tools used in Retinoblastoma (RB)
2. Review current pathology standards for RB
3. Describe treatment considerations for RB, including perspectives from both a pediatric oncologist and ocular oncologist

Speakers

Kerri Becktell, MD, MS (moderator)
Aparna Ramasubramanian, MD
Nicole Liberio, MD, MS
Amanda Hopp, MD

The webinar features a lecture presentation followed by recorded Q/A with the presenters. Once registered, access to the recorded webinar will be provided in your ASPHO My Library. Please contact ASPHO Member Services at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 847.375.4716 with any questions.

The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology practice environment is ever evolving and further specializing, increasing the demand for specialized and dynamic advanced practice providers (APPs) to meet patient care needs. As ACGME requirements change, organizations need to adapt and commonly fill gaps with APPs. Learn how different types of organizations and their structure types have evolved to meet these changes, as well as learning and training methodologies implemented to meet these new demands. 

Learning Objectives

1. Evaluate specific organizational APP needs to address gaps provided by changing ACGME requirements
2. Determine APP practice structure necessary to meet organization/HemOnc program needs and address changes in ACGME requirements
3. Identify APP education and training gaps and implement appropriate resources to address gaps

Speakers

Lea Mayer, DNP APRN CPNP-PC CPHON (moderator)
Heather Johnson, MSN APRN CNP
Kelly Kramer, APRN MSN CPNP-PC CPON
Kara Kelly, MSN APRN CPNP-AC

The recorded webinar features a lecture presentation followed by recorded Q/A with the presenters. Once registered, access to the recorded webinar will be provided in your ASPHO My Library. Please contact ASPHO Member Services at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 847.375.4716 with any questions.

As individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) live longer due to advances in pediatric care, the need for high-quality, developmentally appropriate transitional care has never been more critical. This webinar will explore best practices, persistent challenges, and innovative models in transitioning adolescents and young adults with SCD from pediatric to adult healthcare systems.

Led by dual-trained pediatric and adult hematologists with expertise in lifespan SCD care, this session will examine key elements of successful transition programs—including readiness assessments, interdisciplinary collaboration, and patient centered education. We'll also discuss systemic barriers such as healthcare inequities, insurance instability, and workforce limitations, and highlight strategies to promote continuity, trust, and engagement during this vulnerable period.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how to support young adults with SCD as they navigate complex medical and psychosocial changes, and how to advocate for structural improvements in their institutions. Designed for clinicians, trainees, and healthcare leaders, this session aims to inspire collaborative efforts to reimagine transitional care as a bridge—not a barrier —to lifelong wellness.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the challenges of transitioning AYA patients with sickle cell disease to adult care.
2. Appreciate interventions that can be used to assist in transition.
3. Learn about metrics that can measure success of transition.

Speakers

Jane Hankins, MD MS (moderator)
Tarun Aurora, MD MSCI
Melissa Azul, DO
Stephanie Guarino, MD

The webinar will feature a lecture presentation followed by live Q/A with the presenters. During the webinar, please submit questions using the Q/A tab. Webinar registration also includes access to the recording on-demand after the live event. Please contact ASPHO Member Services at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 847.375.4716 with any questions. 

As pediatric hematology/oncology (PHO) physicians approach the later stages of long and meaningful careers, an important question often goes unaddressed: What comes next? Despite decades of clinical, academic, and leadership contributions, there are limited opportunities within our field to discuss how to continue contributing meaningfully, intentionally transition roles, or thoughtfully prepare for retirement. Most professional organizations, including ASPHO, emphasize early- and mid-career development, leaving a gap in programming and mentorship for physicians practicing 25 years or more.

To better understand the needs of this cohort, we convened a focus group of late-career PHO physicians to identify gaps in mentorship and professional support. These insights informed a subsequent needs assessment distributed to mid-late and late-career members. The results of this assessment will be shared during this webinar and will serve as a springboard for a personal and reflective discussion with two late-career pediatric hematologist/oncologists who have pursued different end-of-career pathways.

This webinar will foster professional and personal well-being by normalizing conversations about late-career transitions, sharing diverse experiences, and generating ideas for future programming focused on mentorship, community, and ongoing professional engagement. The session will include brief slide presentations, followed by a moderated panel discussion and interactive Q&A.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the gaps in mentorship opportunities and professional support for late career PHO physicians by reviewing the results of the recently distributed needs assessment
2. Share personal experiences from two distinct perspectives regarding career transitions and retirement planning
3. Identify strategies for ASPHO to develop late career mentorship opportunities and foster a community of shared experiences

Speakers

Adit Tal, MD (moderator)
Dana Matthews, MD
Amanda Termuhlen, MD

The webinar will feature a lecture presentation followed by live Q/A with the presenters. During the webinar, please submit questions using the Q/A tab. Webinar registration also includes access to the recording on-demand after the live event. Please contact ASPHO Member Services at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 847.375.4716 with any questions.