Cancers costly side effect

Cancer often has a distressing financial impact on survivors and their families, especially when patients are unable to work during treatment and / or struggle to return to work. And it’s not just the financial realities that are soul-destroying.

Work is an integral part of our identity. It is a clear component in how we see ourselves and how we are perceived by others. Being unable to work provides emotional and psychological challenges that undermine our overall sense of self and wellbeing.

And then there’s the practical realities; dilemmas about work often includes questions such as:

• “Will I be able to keep my job?”
• "Do I tell my employer?” and “Will I get fired?” 
• “Will my cancer mean I’ll never get a job?”   or
• “How do I explain the gap in my resume to my potential employer?

The bottom line is that there are an increasing number of working age people surviving cancer and a growing association between cancer survivorship and unemployment.

I’m Lou James and I’ve been working in the field of cancer rehabilitation for over 10 years. People need help; they need specialist help that makes a meaningful difference and I believe we should be providing that help routinely!