We often hear of stories of cancer survivors who are famous or have accomplished something extravagant like climbing Everest or running an ultra-marathon following their treatment. But with the growing number of cancer diagnoses, it’s affecting more people each and every day. For many, working is a huge part of their lives. It may not be as extraordinary as climbing Everest but going to work to do something that they are passionate about is going to mean just as much for some as conquering a mountain.

So while it’s great to hear stories of these amazing accomplishments, it’s also important to remember that all those other people out there too have their own survivor story. Just because they have not gone out and done something extravagant doesn’t mean that they are any less extraordinary than the people that do.

Cancer and the impacts on employment

There is no denying that cancer can have a negative impact on employment, especially over the short term when treatment is in progress. But recent studies estimate that between 10% and 38% of employees will not return to work after being treated for cancer. This isn’t necessarily because they don’t want to work but because they haven’t received the support they need in their workplace to make a transition back to employment.

I would like to share a real-life story with you to help put things into perspective…

Joanna was made redundant from her job at a financial institution not too long ago. A couple of months into her redundancy she discovered a lump which turned out to be cancer which had spread to her lymph nodes. This meant she had to put her job search on hold while getting treatment and focusing on her health while going through both chemotherapy and radiation.

Following her treatment, she had a great recovery and her health had significantly improved. But her redundancy meant she was struggling to pay her living costs. Because she wasn’t receiving enough income to cover her mortgage, losing her home became a real possibility. Since she was nearing the end of her treatment, she thought she would be able to start applying for jobs and that everything would be okay. Her previous job was a senior role and she earned over six figures so she felt it wouldn’t be too hard to find another job. But it proved to be much more difficult than she had anticipated.

One thing that Joanna struggled with, was losing all of her confidence. Even tasks like writing her resume and attending job interviews made her worry. She was especially concerned because she had a gap in her resume where she hadn’t been working. She didn’t know whether she should tell her potential employers about what she had just been through or not because parts of society still have a stigma around cancer. She didn’t want to be seen as a risk and for people to think that she couldn’t work because she wasn’t ready or because they thought the cancer may return.

Hiring cancer survivors is a business opportunity

A lot of the time cancer survivors are commended on their strength and bravery. But the fact that people are having to hide it from work situations because they are concerned about what is going to happen or what people will think, is concerning.

After going through something as traumatic as cancer, survivors often come back stronger. They have a different level of being able to cope with stress compared to people who haven’t gone through the same trauma. It helps them to see things as simple as work tasks and deadlines rationally when others might feel overwhelmed. It is these aspects that we need to value in employees who have survived cancer rather than worrying it could come back.

Going through something as traumatic as cancer treatment means that your perspective can change in a positive way. But businesses all too often look at it from a negative aspect. They tend to perceive hiring cancer survivors as a risk to their business as opposed to an opportunity. These employees come back to the workforce stronger and more resilient with increased coping capabilities and life experience.

With cancer becoming more and more common, there is a significant number of employees who are wanting to work but are not being supported to do so. Work can be such an important part of people’s lives and not just for income but because it also provides satisfaction and human interaction. Returning to work as soon as they physically and emotionally are able to is one of the best ways to bring back a little bit of normality into their lives.

So perhaps instead of society perceiving cancer survivors as victims or even ‘risks’ to your business’, we could see them for what they really are - strong, courageous and determined individuals who can make phenomenal employees.

MyMuse can help your business to co-design a policy and program that will allow you to better manage the return to work or hiring process for cancer survivors. Helping you gain insights into the best practices to enhance people’s experience in your workplace and help you become a better, more proactive employer of choice.

MyMuse works with businesses and organisations across Australia and New Zealand. To discuss your needs or learn what is involved in co-designing a workshop or program with the MyMuse team of experts, phone on 0420 790 091 or fill in this contact form and we will be in touch shortly.

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