About Charlene Haouliya
Charlene Haouliya, LICSW, is a licensed clinical social worker with more than 15 years of experience supporting patients and families affected by mesothelioma and other complex thoracic diseases. During her tenure at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston she worked closely with the late Dr. David J. Sugarbaker, founder of the International Mesothelioma Program, becoming an integral member of one of the world's leading multidisciplinary mesothelioma treatment teams. Throughout her career she has helped patients and their loved ones navigate every aspect of the mesothelioma journey, on the understanding that a diagnosis affects far more than physical health — it reaches emotional wellbeing, family relationships, financial concerns and day-to-day life. As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker she has extensive training in the assessment and treatment of the emotional, psychological and social issues that accompany serious illness, and works from a holistic, biopsychosocial approach alongside physicians, nurses, chaplains and rehabilitation specialists. During her years at the International Mesothelioma Program she became known for helping patients who travelled from across the country and around the world to receive treatment in Boston, facing not only the uncertainty of a cancer diagnosis but the practical difficulty of distance, housing and coordinating care far from home. She authored "The House at the International Mesothelioma Program: A House, A Home, A Haven," describing the residence established by Dr. Sugarbaker and Brigham and Women's Hospital for mesothelioma patients and their families, and how it became a supportive community rather than simply a place to stay. Committed to continued learning, she is currently pursuing a nursing degree.
A mesothelioma diagnosis affects far more than physical health — it reaches emotional wellbeing, family relationships, finances, and daily life.