Canadian Safety Reporter

2 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2015 CSR | November 2015 | News Working through cancer treatment requires creative accommodations Three-quarters of workers keen to stay on the job through treatment: Survey BY LIZ BERNIER A CANCER diagnosis is many different things all at once: Scary, devastating, painful and so much more. And yet many people — 73 per cent — with a diagnosis still want to work, according to an Ameri- can survey of 913 people with cancer by Cancer + Careers. So why do so many employ- ees still want to put in a full day's work while battling through what can be a tough diagnosis and treatment? "It falls into a couple of poten- tial reasons," said Rebecca Nellis, chief mission officer at Cancer + Careers in New York. "What's at the crux of it… is what we do — our work — is at the heart of our identity. So when you're faced with a crisis like can- cer which is putting your mor- tality in question, to also face an identity crisis is a second stress. And so I think people want to work because it makes them feel normal and it allows them to be productive and it allows them to contribute to the world and have an identity beyond being some- one who is sick," she said. Many people actually feel a need to keep working, whether financial or emotional, said Jan MacVinnie, manager of the Cancer Information Service at the Canadian Cancer Society in Toronto. "What people often share with us is it could be a need to keep working — the need could be financial, where they don't have any kind of disability or any kind of income supplemen- tations in their job, and they're going to be in a situation where they're not going to be able to not work," she said. "And sometimes that need is more a personal one where a lot of people don't cope well when they've got a lot of time to think, and if they're at home and they're not engaged in sort of a normal routine, then it is more stressful for them than to be trying to go to work and keep their mind oc- cupied and be engaged in things that are more normal." It can also help cancer pa- tients maintain a feeling of control, said Sherry Hnatyshyn- Webster, director at CAREpath in Toronto. "We do actually have some of our patients continue to work throughout their treatment because that just helps them keep some control in their life. And I believe a positive piece for them is that they still do have some control." For some people, it's also about the support system and emotional benefit the workplace can provide, said Nellis. "Of course, like everything, it's going to depend on that person's work environment and experi- ence there. We spend more time at work than anywhere else, so for those people who really feel that connection to their work- place and their colleagues, it is absolutely another source of strength and hope and support and laughter, hopefully." Room for creativity When it comes to accommodat- ing an employee in the work- place during his treatment, it will very much depend on indi- vidual circumstances, said Nellis — and there's plenty of room for creativity. The practical challenges they may face start with the decision of whether to work through treatment or not, and whether to share their diagnosis at work or not, she said. "And then, once you've sort of gotten through those big huge questions, it becomes a real day-to-day issue related to what kind of treatment side-ef- fects are they experiencing, and how is that having an impact on their ability to do their job? So for each person, that's going to look a little different depending on what their job requirements are," she said. "Are you someone who stands all day long, or has to lift heavy boxes, or sits at a desk all day long or interacts with the pub- lic? And then, conversely, are your treatment side-effects im- pacting your ability to lift heavy things because you've just had surgery or you're struggling with concentration but your job is re- ally detail-oriented? "Are you experiencing neu- ropathy in your fingers so typ- ing is now difficult? And then what can you do to offset those things?" A flexible work schedule is another key piece that can really help, said Hnatyshyn-Webster. "Definitely a flexible work schedule; the ability to work from home would always be an asset as well." Having that flexibility can re- ally help mitigate the effects of fatigue, said MacVinnie. "One (common thing) when people are going through treat- ments is fatigue, so it might be about how to manage that fa- tigue. It might be a reduced work day, for example, to help them get through — they'd have a bit more time to rest, a bit more time to sleep," she said. "Oftentimes, going through treatments, a person's immunity is compromised, so they're somewhat more prone to catch things. "So if there's the possibility of working from home for a period so that they're not in contact with others, particularly dur- ing seasons where there's a lot of flus and colds and people are very contagious, that might be very helpful if they can do some telework." There can be a real range of solutions, just as there is a broad range of experiences among can- cer patients, said Nellis. "The way employers can be the most useful in helping some- one work through treatment or come to work in the early stages of recovery is to think creatively with them about ways to mitigate those challenges. What can we all do to improve someone's ability to continue to work?" she said. "Is it having the person who typically changes the water cool- er but can't because they can't lift it for a period of time, have someone else do that? Is it hav- ing them start work a little later so they miss the throes of the commute, because that makes their day longer and they're very fatigued? "So it's about coming up with Credit: xrender/Shutterstock Sensitivity > pg. 4

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