Now Let's Talk About Work---and Cancer

Yes, we talk a lot about cancer and love, cancer and marriage on this blog. But what about cancer and work? It was Freud who said that man's two great concerns are love and work--so too in CancerLand.

Did you know that 44% of people with new cancer diagnoses last year were folks of working age?
Did you know that 20% of people with cancer report work limitations affected by cancer-related issues?
Did you know that almost 1,000 people made EEOC claims based on cancer discrimination?

And I bet you did wonder--at least one--if you were being treated differently at work because of your cancer.

There are many ways that cancer affects us at work: We use up our sick time, we lose productivity when we don't feel well, we need a lot more schedule flexibility for chemo, radiation and just so many more doctor's appointments. We also have to say "No" to overnight assignments or conference travel or promotion to positions that involve longer hours and multi-city assignments. So do you share? not share? lie sometimes? Much discernment is required.

A great resource is the national nonprofit organization: "CancerandCareers". They are a group of both professionals and volunteers who can answer every cancer and work related question: financial issues, EEOC, FMLA, and how to talk to the Human Resources Department, the Finance Office, and your boss. They also have great advice on how to interview for a new job--in your current company or at a different organization.

I'm putting the link right here. Do share this one with your friends, and any coworkers with cancer and maybe even with your HR Department if you want them to get much better at helping colleagues in CancerLand. Here is the link:
http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en