Having cancer and working is challenging. Yet most employees with cancer say they would prefer to work than not — although many felt they had no choice but to work during and after treatment.
The nonprofit Cancer and Careers commissioned a Harris poll of nearly 1,000 employees who experienced cancer while working. Almost three-quarters of respondents said they preferred working; but 59 percent said they had no choice but to work while undergoing treatment. And nearly three in 10 felt their careers suffered because of their condition.
"Sixty-nine percent of patients and survivors agreed that work aids in treatment and recovery, but reported a number of concerns when balancing work and cancer," the nonprofit reported. "According to those who are currently working and in treatment, some of the most common challenges include fatigue (42 percent), managing discomfort from physical post-treatment side effects (26 percent) and taking longer to complete work tasks (23 percent)."
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Dan Cook
Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.
