Young Adults Have Work Issues Too! (Also: i[2]y spotlight)

by Alice McKenney
filed under i[2]y, In the news, YA, Young Adult

For young adults with cancer, dealing with the difficulties of treatment is only one of many obstacles that they will face.  Often, young adults fall into a gray area - not necessarily old enough to be treated as adults, but too old to be seen as children.  This transitional phase is thrown even more out of whack when they are a new member of the workforce.  According to an article in the Scotsman that discusses a recent survey of YA survivors in the UK, "Of those who were in employment, 93 per cent said [that their work] had been affected, with four out of ten leaving their job and three in ten taking unpaid leave."

These numbers are astounding, and is one of the many reasons for the surge in YA resources in recent years.  Chief among these, the I'm Too Young For This Foundation (i[2]y) strives to address the unique needs of the young adult with cancer. i[2]y exists to ensure that every young adult affected by cancer is given access to the best age-appropriate support they are entitled to in order to get busy living at every stage of their survivorship. For more information, visit their website here: http://i2y.com/index.shtml

And if you live near NYC and are a YA cancer survivor, then come check out our brand new support group!

Miami, FL Balancing Cancer and Careers seminar

by Alice McKenney
filed under Balancing Cancer and Careers seminar, Community Seminar, Miami

We're on the road again and will be making our first trip to Miami, FL  to host our Balancing Cancer and Careers seminar.  If you're in the area, join us for this free interactive and educational event!

• Laura Mosiello, LCSW-R, Program Director and Senior Clinical Supervisor Cancer and Careers, will provide practical advice and concrete solutions for employees affected by cancer.
• Dr. Caio Max Rocha-Lima, Professor of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine will discuss the value of working through treatment.
• Joanna Morales, Esq., Cancer Legal Resource Center, will address patient rights in the workplace.

When:
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
6:30 PM
Refreshments will be provided.
Where:
The Westin Coral Gables
180 Aragon Avenue
Coral Gables, FL 33134
FREE valet parking will be provided.

RSVP:
(212) 445-8089 or
cancerandcareers@webershandwick.com

No tickets will be issued. Reservations for you and your guests will be held at the door.

The Balancing Cancer and Careers Seminar is a collaboration between Cancer and Careers, Genentech, the Cancer Support Community Greater Miami and the Young Survival Coalition Miami.

Annual Video Shoot

by Alice McKenney
filed under Beauty of Giving, luncheon, Video

Every year we put together a video that tells the story of someone balancing cancer and their job to highlight how important it is to support people working through treatment, it is then premiered at our annual Beauty of Giving fundraiser in December.  This year's video about Sue a YA survivor who worked the entire time she was in treatment is well underway, and recently we shot the raw footage with the film crew from Greener Media.  Check out some of the behind the scenes shots below!

Did you miss our video last year?  Watch it on YouTube here.

 

 

 

Want more pictures?  Then check out the Facebook photo album.

Seattle, WA Balancing Cancer and Careers Seminar

by Alice McKenney
filed under Community Seminar, Seattle, Upcoming Events

We're excited to announce that we will be making our first trip to Seattle, WA to host our Balancing Cancer and Careers seminar.  If you're in the area, join us for this free interactive and educational event!

• Laura Mosiello, LCSW-R, Program Director and Senior Clinical Supervisor Cancer and Careers, will provide practical advice and concrete solutions for employees affected by cancer.
• Dr. Julie Gralow, Director of Breast Medical Oncology, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and Professor, Oncology Division, University of Washington School of Medicine, will discuss the value of working through treatment.
• Monica Fawzy, Esq., Cancer Legal Resource Center, will address patient rights in the workplace.

When:
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
6:00 PM
Refreshments will be provided.
Where:
Westin Seattle
1900 5th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
FREE valet parking will be provided.

RSVP:
(212) 445-8348 or
cancerandcareers@webershandwick.com

No tickets will be issued. Reservations for you and your guests will be held at the door.

The Balancing Cancer and Careers Seminar is a collaboration between Cancer and Careers, Genentech, Gilda's Club Seattle, the Cancer Support Community and the Young Survival Coalition Seattle.

Disclosing your cancer on a job application

by Alice McKenney
filed under career coaching, Disclosure, Job application

Recently Kayleen asked a great question on our career coaching site: "I have just finished chemotherapy for colon cancer and need to find a job. What should I say on my application as to why I left my last job?" 

Rosalind, one of our careers coaches, was very frank saying "If the job application asks you directly about reasons for leaving your last job, then you clearly have three choices: tell the truth, lie or avoid a direct answer… I think the best response is to give a small bit of vague information. You might play around with: '...it was no longer a good fit' or '...the job had changed and was no longer a good fit'." Click here to continue reading Rosalind's advice.

If you are dealing with addressing your illness on your resume rather than in a job application, it can often come down to tweaking it to make gaps in employment due to cancer treatment less obvious. For instance, only including the years you were employed by a company rather than months as well. For more on this, check out some of our sample resumes here and here.

And don't forget, if you want personalized advice, our career coaches are always available here!

Women and men share their work and cancer experiences

by Alice McKenney
filed under In the news, Online Diary, Share your story

Occasionally in the news you hear about a cancer survivor's experience with their workplace.  Sometimes it's a great example of the survivor and their workplace working really well together (such as this Georgia sheriff's experience) and other times it's less positive resulting in the survivor leaving their job or being forced to take legal action.

Regardless of the story, sharing your cancer and work experience is beneficial, both to you and those reading it.  Writing about your experiences can be really therapeutic, allowing you to step back and think about everything that you've gone through and hopefully help someone else in the process.  On the flipside, reading someone's survivor story can be inspiring and uplifting, or if the experience was less than positive it can help show you what challenges and pitfalls to look out for while navigating your workplace.

There are many websites that offer you the chance to share your story and read others (such as MyHopeSpace and Blog For A Cure) but our Online Diary is the only place on the web where you can read more than 75 personal stories about working through cancer.  Please read some of the stories today, or share your own!

Chicago Cancer Rights Conference

by Alice McKenney
filed under Balancing Cancer and Careers seminar, Cancer Legal Resource Center, Chicago Cancer Event, CLRC

This past Friday, June 18th, was the Chicago Cancer Rights Conference.  Hosted by the Cancer Legal Resource Center, it included many sessions such as Employment and Taking Time Off Work, Getting and Keeping Health Insurance, Navigating Managed Care, Estate Planning, and Disability and Life Insurance Options.

Cancer and Careers was proud to host the Employment and Taking Time Off Work session.  Our speakers included (left to right):

• Rebecca Nellis, Director of Programs, Cancer and Careers, who provided practical advice and concrete solutions for employees affected by cancer.
• Chadi Nabhan, M.D., F.A.C.P., Director, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, who discussed the value of working through treatment.
• Dianne Prado, Esq., Cancer Legal Resource Center, who addressed patient rights in the workplace.

Kudos to our panelists and moderator Joanna Morales, Esq. of the CLRC -- the session was really well received, and there was so many questions that our session ran over! 

If you were at the session (or even if you missed it!) feel free to leave your questions/comments below and we will be sure to get back to you.  And for more pictures check out our Facebook album: http://www.facebook.com/CancerandCareers#!/album.php?aid=180834&id=18305564790&ref=mf.

 

 

Need to get your blood flowing? Three exercises you can do at your desk

by Alice McKenney
filed under Desk, Exercises, Nutrition, On The Go Guides

These exercises will not only help reduce wrist and shoulder strain from long days at your computer, they will also improve flexibility and reduce stress.

1. SHOULDER SHRUG: Place arms down alongside the body and breathe in through the nose. Raise shoulders to your ears and hold for five seconds; as you breathe out through the lips, push shoulders down and engage your back muscles; hold for five seconds.  Repeat two times.
2. SHOULDER AND UPPER BACK TONE AND TIGHTEN: Breathe in and as your breathe out, raise arms out to the sides, palms facing down.  Force the arms back and up to create tension; hold for ten seconds, then release arms and move them back to the sides.  Repeat four times.
3. THE SWIM: Place both arms out in front, palms facing each other.  Breathe in as you sweep your arms to the sides of the body parallel to the floor and push back.  Breathe out as you bring your arms forward.  Repeat five times.

These exercises were excerpted from our 3-part On The Go Guide Series.  These brochures feature tips on Nutrition, Fitness and Make-Up.  To download or order for free, visit this page: http://cancerandcareers.org/publications/.

Upcoming FREE events in Chicago, Washington, DC, and St. Louis

by Alice McKenney
filed under Beauty of Caring, Cancre Rights Conference, Chicago, Community Seminar, St. Louis, Upcoming Events, Washington DC



Website Poll Results

by Alice McKenney
filed under Disclosing, Fatigue, Flexible schedule, Poll, Re-entering workforce, Results

We have been running monthly polls on our website about some of the issues that often come up when dealing with work and cancer.  Though not surprising, the results have certainly been interesting, often confirming things we already know anecdotally.  Our users are challenged by fatigue at work, concerned about not being seen as an equal contributor to their work teams and wishing for greater flexibility as they transition back into their jobs.   Please see below for some of our poll results, and refer to these articles for more info on these issues:

Working Through the Side Effects

What's Next: Back to Work After Cancer

---

What has been the most challenging side effect to manage at work for you (or your patients)?

Fatigue: 47.76%
Nausea and vomiting: 6.94%
Pain: 7.76%
Hair loss: 11.43%

---

What worries you (or your patients) the most about disclosing cancer to co-workers?

Not much: 14.46%
How much to share: 22.15%
Communicating my needs: 9.54%
Setting boundaries: 8.00%
Being seen as not being able to pull my weight: 45.85%

---

What is most important to successfully re-entering the workplace following a cancer diagnosis?

Having a flexible schedule: 50.24%
Stress management: 18.48%
Communication with my supervisor: 19.91%
A knowledgeable human resources department: 11.37%

---

For more poll results and to take this month's poll click here: http://cancerandcareers.org/polls/

Lost your job? Tips to help you get back on your feet

by Alice McKenney
filed under cancer law, fired, In the news, Job Search, Legal Issues, lost job, networking, new job

Last week an article appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times that showed how quickly things can change at work after a cancer diagnosis, sometimes for the better, in this case for the worse.  Margaret Walsh had been in her position at a community college for four months when she got an ovarian and abdominal cancer diagnosis in February of 2009.  The school then gave her 3 months of unpaid leave, after which she returned to work part-time.

Less than a month later she was told she would have to return to work full-time. However, she then became seriously ill and had to take another unpaid leave.  It was at that point that she received a termination letter from the college.

When something like this happens, our first suggestion is always to suggest the person contact a lawyer (we refer to  the Cancer Legal Resource Center), however sometimes there isn't really a legal issue on the table.  See below for some tips on what to do after you've lost your job.

• Get back on the horse and start looking for new jobs in your desired field.  If you are still in treatment you will want to consider going on COBRA until you have secured a new position.  For more information on COBRA visit: http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/cobra.htm.
• Worried about how to handle employers questions about why you left your previous position? There are some great tips on our career coaching site (scroll to the bottom of the page): http://cancerandcareers.org/career-coaching/looking-for-a-new-position-while-in-treatment/
• Having trouble securing interviews?  Networking is a great option, and most jobs are found this way.  See our networking tips here: http://cancerandcareers.org/career-coaching/keep-your-network-alive/.
• Don't forget about our Job Search Tools, which are free and easy to use: http://cancerandcareers.org/career-coaching/job-search-tools/

If you want personalized assistance with the job search, please contact  our career coaches here: http://cancerandcareers.org/career-coaching/.

 

For more information on Margaret Walsh situation's see the full article here: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/2284970,CST-NWS-eeoc18.article.

 

 

We've been on the move!

by Alice McKenney
filed under AOSW, Conference, ONS, Speaking

 

It's conference season and this past week Cancer and Careers has been on the move. The Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) conference was in Phoenix, where we had an exhibit AND hosted a session so that social workers could better advise their patients on balancing work and cancer treatment.  Also on the west coast, the Oncology Nursing Society's (ONS) Annual Congress was in San Diego, and we had a booth there as well.

Since there are only 4 of us on staff, we had to divide and conquer, with 2 of us going to AOSW and 2 of us going to ONS.  Both of these conferences are great ways for us to let healthcare professionals know more about the services that we offer, while also hearing more about what needs they have and what issues they encounter everyday.  (Not to mention that these are also great ways for us to catch up with new and old friends at other non-profits!)

Below are some pictures from our session at AOSW, and then a few pictures from our ONS booth.  Want to see more?  Become our fan on Facebook, where we post albums of pictures from the various events we go to (this past week's events will be going up in the next day or two).

Our speakers (L to R) Joanna Morales (Cancer Legal Resource Center), Kate Sweeney (Cancer and Careers), Laura Mosiello (CancerCare)

 

Attendees at our AOSW session

 

Our booth at San Diego ONS

 

Legal and Insurance Issues Teleconference and The Stupid Cancer Show

by Alice McKenney
filed under Appearance, Healthcare Professionals, Radio, Stupid Cancer Show, Teleconference

 

Last Thursday was the final session of our 2010 Educational Series for Healthcare Professionals.  The session, titled Legal and Insurance Issues to Consider with speaker Joanna Morales, Esq. from the Cancer Legal Resource Center (http://www.cancerlegalresourcecenter.org) covered everything from the federal and state laws that protect employees, to legislation and options that govern insurance.  This presentation, as well as all previous ones, are archived on our website for viewing here: http://cancerandcareers.org/healthcare_professionals/videos/

Also last week -- Cancer and Careers had its inaugural appearance on The Stupid Cancer Show!  With over 55,000 listeners, The Stupid Cancer Show is the voice of young adults with cancer.  Our very own Rebecca Nellis participated on an Employment and Insurance roundtable with CancerCare's Laura Mosiello and The Cancer Legal Resource Center's Joanna Morales.  Don't worry if you missed the show -- the recording is available here or for download on iTunes.
 

CAC on the Stupid Cancer Show - Tonight!

by Alice McKenney
filed under Employment, Insurance, Radio, Stupid Cancer Show, YA, Young Adults

 

Tonight's The Stupid Cancer Show LIVE at 9pm EST with Matthew Zachary, co-host Lisa Bernhard and doofus Jack Bouffard, deals with Employment and Insurance Issues.  The show will include:

Survivor spotlight

• Eric Anthony Galvez

Special guests

• Rebecca Nellis (Cancer and Careers)
• Joanna Morales (Cancer Legal Resource Center)
• Laura Mosiello (CancerCare)

For more information: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stupidcancershow/2010/05/04/omg-employmentinsurance

On the path to recovery

by Alice McKenney
filed under article, New normal, recovery, side effects, support groups

 

For most cancer patients, the first question they have is "Will I live?"  And for many their second question is "Can I work?"  As aptly pointed out in a recent article in the San Diego Union-Tribune, "the stress of the disease doesn’t necessarily end with the chemotherapy… Former cancer patients are often expected to bounce back into their old routines as if normalcy returns as readily as a head of hair. But it’s more complicated than that."

Work can play a huge role in this return to normalcy both when a person works during treatment or upon his/her return after a leave of absence, but it can certainly come with its fair share of challenges.  One of the most common ones we hear about is managing residual side effects like "chemo brain" and exhaustion while still being a valued member of a work team.  And, the other major challenge for some survivors is discovering that their priorities have changed since cancer and they are looking for new personal and professional directions.   

For more on side effects visit here and to hear a social worker discuss the "new normal" listen to this session of our Educational series.

The article also discusses the importance of outside support, particularly support groups.  For assistance in finding a support group check out these listings in our database: http://cancerandcareers.org/resources/search?subcategory_id=55016
Also if you live near New York City, Cancer and Careers hosts our own support group - for more information please email cancerandcareers@cew.org.
 

Beauty of Caring Event in Boston

by Alice McKenney
filed under Beauty of Caring, Boston, Event, SELF Magazine, Shiseido

 

Cancer and Careers had it's inaugural trip to Boston last night to try out a brand new event with partners SELF Magazine and Shiseido Cosmetics: The Beauty of Caring Event.  Attendees went to 3 mini-seminars, which included:

• A roundtable with one of our Career Coaches, Julie Jansen
• A session teaching them wellness tips and chair exercises they could do at work
• A facial massage and makeup techniques lesson

Everyone who I spoke to at the event really enjoyed it!  We hope to do similar events in different cities soon. 

Here are some pictures from the event, but I have posted an album with more on our Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3709673&id=18305564790#!/album.php?aid=165662&id=18305564790.

Cancer and Careers roundtable

 

Shiseido makeovers

 

SELF wellness room

 

Re-entering the Workforce After Short and Long Absences - Teleconference Recap

by Alice McKenney
filed under Educational Series, Healthcare Professionals, Re-entering the workforce, Teleconference

 

The 2nd session of our 2010 Educational Series for Healthcare Professionals on April 1st was led by Julie Jansen, Executive and Career Coach and Author (and also one of the CAC career coaches!), and Laura Mosiello LCSW-R, Director of Women's Cancer at CancerCare. Titled "Re-entering the Workforce After Short and Long Absences", it covered a wide variety of issues including what steps to take when seeking new employment, creating an effective resume, and interview tips.

One of the hardest questions that came up during the call was from a caller wanting to know how best to stay motivated during treatment and then jumpstarting back into work when treatment is over, all while being self-employed.

Julie Jansen: I think one of the things I would do is just very quickly put together a little informal advisory group of friends or colleagues who may do what you do and have a little brainstorming session.  You may even want to make it somewhat social and just get a small group of four to six people you trust together and say, "Here's my issue.  What would you suggest to get started?"  I would also start setting up at least two to four sort of networking meetings a week with people. 

Laura Mosiello: Another thing you might want to think about is going to any industry events, networking events, just to kind of get yourself out there, get excited about the industry, just get talking to people.

We had a great turnout of Healthcare Professionals calling in to learn more about this important topic and its impact for their patients. Our speakers did a great job and feedback so far has been really positive! If you missed the session be sure to check out the archive of it here: http://cancerandcareers.org/healthcare_professionals/videos/details?vid=11363001.

Don't forget we have one more session of our Educational Series for Healthcare Professionals coming up, click here for more information and to register.

Cancer and Careers coming to Boston and Atlanta in April

by Alice McKenney
filed under Atlanta, Beauty of Caring, Boston, Community Seminar, Upcoming Events

 

Cancer and Careers has hit the ground running for 2010 - literally! We're going to be on the road a lot this year, reaching our audience nationwide.  Up first this month: Boston, MA and Atlanta, GA.  See below for more info on these great FREE events.  We hope to see you there!

Balancing Cancer and Careers Community Seminars

When:  Wednesday, April 14, 2010; 5:30 PM
Where: Westin Buckhead, 3391 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30326
What: A FREE educational seminar featuring expert advice on combining work and cancer treatment

Click here for details, and stay tuned for information on our upcoming seminars in St. Louis, Seattle, and Miami.

The Balancing Cancer and Careers Seminars are a collaboration between Cancer and Careers, Genentech, the Wellness Community Atlanta, the Cancer Support Community and the Young Survival Coalition Atlanta.

The Cancer and Careers Beauty of Caring Event

Everything a working woman with cancer needs to know to look better, work better, feel better.

• Resume makeovers, interview tips and career coaching from Cancer and Careers
• Self-instruction on facial massage and makeup application techniques with Shiseido beauty experts
• Relaxation and wellness tips from SELF Magazine

When: April 21, 2010; 6:00 PM
Where: Liberty Hotel, 215 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114
RSVP: cancerandcareers@cew.org or 646-929-8095

Click here for details, and stayed tuned for information on two more Beauty of Caring events, in New York and Washington, D.C.!

The Beauty of Caring Event is a collaboration between Cancer and Careers, Shiseido Cosmetics America and SELF Magazine.

Is the Virtual Office the Future?

by Alice McKenney
filed under Flexible scheduling, Virtual Office, Work Environment

 

Many people are aware that cancer patients can often benefit from a flexible work schedule, between scheduling appointments, treatments and necessary downtime. And now, there is finally a study that proves that a flexible work environment is needed to counterbalance stress in today's office environment - for everyone, not just cancer patients!

59% of survey respondents said that spending less time in the office and instead working some from home would have a positive effect on staff morale. This is yet more proof that the work-life balance is becoming more desirable to all populations. And with emerging technologies paving the way, the virtual office is more attainable than ever.

For more information about flexible scheduling click here.
To continue reading about this new virtual office trend click here.

Cancer Organization Spotlight: Spirit Jump

by Alice McKenney
filed under Cancer, Jump, Organization, Spirit, Spotlight

 

Spirit Jump is a non-profit cancer organization founded in 2007 that I discovered through Twitter.  Thanks to their grassroots efforts, active supporters, and straightforward mission they have become quite popular and are filling a niche that truly touches all of those that it reaches. 

How it started: Meaghan Edelstein went through treatment for cervical cancer, including many bouts of radiation, chemo, and surgeries.  While in the hospital many people visited her, but she also received many cards and gifts along the way. Meaghan credits these small touches of love with giving her the extra strength to keep fighting for her life.  While blogging about her experience, Meghan decided that she wanted to make a difference and help others in similar situations.  Remembering the cards and gifts she received and how they lifted her spirits during a desperate time, Meaghan decided to match those who wished to help with those who needed support. Thus began SPIRIT JUMP.

Their mission: Spirit Jump is a grassroots non-profit organization with a mission to provide hope and comfort to the many men, women and children battling cancer. Spirit Jump accomplishes this by providing uplifting cards and inspirational gifts during this most difficult time.

Sign up to receive these little gifts (Request a Jump) or help a person battling cancer (Become a Jumper) today.

Many survivors can feel overwhelmed when balancing work and cancer treatment, and this is just one more way that you can help (or be helped)!  (And if your friend or co-worker is in cancer treatment check out this page to see how you can help them directly.)

Practical Advice and Tools to Balance Cancer and Employment -Teleconference Recap

by Alice McKenney
filed under Educational, healthcare, Professionals, Recap, Series

 

Last week was the first session of our 2010 Educational Series for Healthcare Professionals led by Rebecca Nellis, Director of Programs at Cancer and Careers, and Laura Mosiello, Director of Women's Cancer at CancerCare.  Titled "Practical Advice and Tools to Balance Cancer and Employment", it covered a wide variety of issues including how to share the news in the workplace, creating a workable schedule, and getting back to 'normal'.  

One of the hardest questions that came up during the call was from a healthcare professional wanting to know how to advise the patients she sees who are manual laborers, which makes going back to work much more challenging especially since those jobs on top of being physically taxing are also often without insurance or paid time off.

Laura Mosiello:    I have a few patients in this predicament. Since I know that they use their body as a tool or perhaps work in a factory, is there some other job that they can do and still be employed by that employer, if they chose?  Or if they are self-employed I think that may be a point where they would want to contact Cancer and Careers and speak to a free career coach, someone who's gone through it and perhaps can walk them through and assess what their skills are. At that point they may need to reinvent themselves.

Rebecca Nellis:    This a question that we certainly get a lot and there is no readymade answer and it's challenging across the spectrum. It’s important to keep in mind that a career coach isn’t just for someone who goes and sits at a desk every day, but rather that a career coach is someone who can help you think about your work life and that is encompassing of everyone, in all positions.  Unfortunately, I don't have an immediate solution to that, especially since those jobs are often hourly, self-employed, or not insured. But I would start by talking to someone who might be able to reframe their experiences.  

We had a record number of Healthcare Professionals call in to learn more about this important topic and its impact for their patients. Our speakers did a great job and feedback so far has been really positive!  If you missed the session be sure to check out the archive of it here: http://cancerandcareers.org/healthcare_professionals/videos/details?vid=10999001.

Don't forget we have two more session of our Educational Series for Healthcare Professionals coming up, click here for more information.

Flexible work conditions

by Alice McKenney
filed under Flexible, Options, Schedule, Work

 

A recent study in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews has found that having flexible work conditions can lead employees to feel healthier in addition to feeling less crazed.  Specifically, a blog on TIME.com states that more flexibility in work schedules is associated with improvements in alertness, sleep quality, tiredness, heart rate and other primary health issues, as well as benefits to secondary health, such as perceived social support in the workplace and sense of community.

 

We often recommend cancer patients talk to their supervisors about flexible work options when they are going through treatment. The three most common flexible work options are:

1) Working from home, part or full-time. This can eliminate a draining commute, or enable you to lie down when necessary.

2) Implement a full-time but flexible schedule, so you can continue to work full time but a) vary the start and end times of your work day

OR b) take time out during the work day to go to appointments and make the time up by coming to work earlier or working late some nights.

3) Work a part-time schedule during all or part of treatment and recovery.

 

While both the Cochrane study and the TIME.com article discuss flexible work options in relation to the health of the general population, it is important to understand that in addition to the flexible work benefits they outline, cancer patients reap even more benefits. Flexible work options can help you deal with medication side effects, fatigue, and fitting doctor's appointments into your schedule. While not the only way to make these things easier to handle, it certainly is a helpful one. 

For more information on flexible options, as well as planning a course of action, check out this article. 

O is for Organize

by Alice McKenney
filed under Cancer, Coping, Life, Organize, with, Work

 

"The ultimate goal is for you to have your life so organized that you can deal with cancer treatment almost on autopilot." Wouldn't that be great? Everyone's cancer experience is different, to be sure, but there are some key parts of your life that if you organize them right, it will make your life a lot simpler. And fitting your job into all of it is only a small part. According to Dr. Richard Frank, there are 7 main players to organize:

1. Organize your treatment. Choose oncologists and treatment centers that fit with your personal needs.
2. Organize your loved ones. The more united your loved ones are behind you, the stronger you will be throughout this ordeal.
3. Organize your support system. Don't be afraid to ask for help with chores, transportation, meals, you name it.
4. Organize your mind. Avoid negative people and pursue tranquility. Celebrate the little wins and laugh as much as possible.
5. Organize your work. Know your options: part-time, working from home, short- or long-term disability, etc.
6. Organize your finances. Now is a better time than ever to learn what's covered by your insurance, and to make sure your loved ones are cared for.
7. Organize your time. Make sure regardless of what all the above issues bring to light, it's important to make time for yourself.

For more concrete tips on organizing your work life and your cancer, check out these articles:
http://cancerandcareers.org/women/taking_charge/getting_organized/
http://cancerandcareers.org/women/working/cancer_treatment_and_the_workplace/

These great tips (and more!) can be found on p. 24 of the February issue of Coping with Cancer magazine.
 

 

Disclosing cancer to employer while in high ranking position -- yay or nay?

by Alice McKenney
filed under Cancer, disclose, High, In, Job, News, Ranking, The

 

Whether or not to disclose your cancer to your employer often depends on the situation. Prognosis, extent of treatment, and accommodations needed are just a few things to consider. However, do things change at all if you're in a high ranking position?

This issue is a current and controversial one for people in the UK. Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam was a member of the British Parliament from 1987 to 2001. In 1997, she was appointed to the position of Secretary of State of Northern Ireland. Right before this appointment she publicly announced that she had a benign brain tumor. Shortly thereafter in 2001, she retired from politics, and then passed away in 2005. 

Mo Mawlam, courtesy of The Observer

 Why is this relevant you might ask? Well, it has only come to light in the past few weeks that Mo's tumor wasn't benign at all - it was malignant and terminal. Only three people knew this truth until now: Mo, her husband, and her doctor. Responses to this news flash have ranged from calling her courageous for continuing in her difficult position, to calling her a liar for not telling her constituents the real story. Also, while her doctor was legally bound not to say anything, he had strongly advised her to tell the administration about her cancer (but she still chose not to).

Ruth Bader Ginsberg, a US Supreme Court Justice, did just the opposite. When she was diagnosed with colon cancer 10 years ago, the public knew. When she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a year ago, the public knew. And to top it off she worked through all of it.

Mo was quite lucky that her cancer treatments did not interfere with her day-to-day work life, but most people are not so lucky. What would you have done in this situation? Was it her duty to come clean with the truth? Or do you think she went about it the right way?

Also check out these other articles about Mo, as well as some resources that we have on the topic:
Keeping Cancer Undercover (via @stales on Twitter)
How Mo Mawlam misled Tony Blair for nine years about her killer cancer
Should You Tell
What To Tell
Who To Tell
 

Beauty of Giving luncheon

by Alice McKenney
filed under beauty, CEW, Event, Fundraiser, Giving, luncheon, of

 

The annual Cancer and Careers/CEW Foundation Beauty of Giving luncheon was held last week at the Waldorf=Astoria in NYC. The luncheon honored Leslie Blodgett, CEO of Bare Escentuals for her extraordinary achievement in uniting business with philanthropy. Blodgett’s commitment to Cancer and Careers has been expressed through a variety of creative cause marketing partnerships, a corporate philanthropy program called B.E. Cares, and a commitment to cultivating a community of support.

 The event was a great success with revenue totaling $515,650, and with all net proceeds supporting Cancer and Careers' initiatives and resources such as:

 

• Cancer and Careers’ community outreach programming

• The Elizabeth Jerrett support group for cancer survivors

• Cancer and Careers’ interactive online career coaching for employees with cancer

• Cancer and Careers’ On the Go Survival Guide series

• Resources for companies and coworkers

 

The Beauty of Giving luncheon was generously sponsored by: 

Happy Thanksgiving from Cancer and Careers

by Alice McKenney
filed under Go, guides, holiday, Nutrition, On, orzo, recipe, thanksgiving, The

 

Cancer and Careers would like to wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!  Thanksgiving is about two things: giving thanks and eating. So I thought I would share one of the recipes from our Nutrition On The Go Guide that is specially formulated for cancer patients and survivors.  It makes a great side dish!

Orzo Salad

16 oz. package of orzo pasta

10 oz. baby spinach, washed and chopped

1/2 lb. crumbled feta cheese

1/2 red onion, chopped

3/4 cup pine nuts

Chopped fresh basil to taste

Ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Cook orzo 8 to 10 minutes, rinse with cold water.  Mix all ingredients in a big bowl; serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

May alleviate constipation, dry mouth or difficulty swallowing.

To order a free On The Go Guide set, please click here.

Busy travel week for CAC

by Alice McKenney
filed under Austin, Francisco, LIVESTRONG, ONS, San, Tampa, Travel, YAA

 

This week various members of the Cancer and Careers team are traveling all over the US for great conferences and seminars. They include:

• The Balancing Cancer and Careers community seminar in San Francisco, CA on the 10th
• The Livestrong Young Adult Alliance conference in Austin, TX on the 12th and 13th
• The Oncology Nursing Society's Institutes of Learning Conference in Tampa, FL on the 13th and 14th

If you are attending any of these events keep your eyes peeled for CAC staff members. And don't forget to visit our blog again next week for recaps from these events.
 

CAC shines during Breast Cancer Awareness month

by Alice McKenney
filed under Awareness, Breast, Cancer, Martha, Month, PSA, SELF, Shape, Stewart

 

We are thrilled to announce that Cancer and Careers has a presence in not one, not two, but THREE popular magazines this October!

- SELF Magazine has granted us a full page PSA on p. 71, and we've also created some buzz for our Beauty.com partnership (more info on this exciting relationship to come)
- Shape Magazine has a full-page Cancer and Careers PSA on p. 14 of the breast health handbook in their October issue
- Martha Stewart Living has us listed as one of only five recommended cancer websites on p. 42

Check out these mags on your local newsstand today. And don't forget, Cancer and Careers is your resource for working through any type of cancer.

Have you seen our Charts & Checklists?

by Alice McKenney
filed under charts, checklists, doctor’s, forms, questions, website

 

Working through cancer is hard enough. To top it off, you have to keep everything in order, from doctor’s appointments to medications to insurance. It can be exhausting!

That’s why we have our Charts and Checklists page, offering a wide array of free downloadable documents to help get you organized. Having trouble keeping track of medications? Check out the Prescription Drug log. Going in for treatment soon but don’t know what to expect? Look at the Questions to Ask section, which has ideas for questions to ask your doctor about chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and so much more. Have a treatment coming up but aren’t sure how to prepare for it? Check out Things to Bring to Treatment, and Preparing Your Home for After Treatments.

Have you used any of our charts and checklists (most of which are also in our Living and Working with Cancer handbook)? How have they been useful? And if you haven’t used them, tell us how you keep everything organized!

Meet the Cancer and Careers Staff! Part 1 of 4

by Alice McKenney
filed under Alice, assistant, foundation, mckenney, meet, staff, The

 

Did you know there are only 4 members of the Cancer and Careers staff? Most don't! So we thought we would introduce ourselves.

I'm first! I am the Foundation Assistant, and have been working here for just shy of a year. I touch all of the departments here at CAC (programming, development, etc.) but where my name is probably most recognized from is that I manage all of CAC's social media including (but not limited to) Facebook and Twitter. Come say hi! Outside of the CAC sphere, I play flute in a community orchestra, like watching 'quality' TV shows (Bravo is my channel of choice right now), and love hosting dinner parties.

Next time -- meet Devon Slauenwhite, our Director of Development!

www.facebook.com/cancerandcareers
www.twitter.com/cancerandcareer

Ticket to Ride

by Alice McKenney
filed under cancercare, Door, grant, multiple, myeloma, to, transportation

 

New CancerCare program defrays transportation costs

Getting from work to treatment and back home again will get easier for some patients with multiple myeloma, thanks to CancerCare's new "Door to Door" program. Under the new effort, announced July 20, CancerCare, a New York-based nonprofit, will offer individual grants of up to $600 a year to patients with multiple myeloma who need help with transportation expenses associated with getting to and from medical care. That includes gas costs as well as taxi, bus or train fare. Potential applicants may view the application form, including financial criteria, at www.cancercare.org. The grant program is funded partially by Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company. About 20,000 people per year in the U.S. receive a diagnosis of multiple myeloma, a bone marrow cancer.

To receive a Door to Door transportation grant, patients must meet certain eligibility criteria and complete an application form. A sample patient application form along with a physician verification form may be viewed online. To apply, call 1-800-813-HOPE (4673).

Trend: Longer Chemotherapy -- How will it affect your work?

by Alice McKenney
filed under Cancer, cancercare, chemotherapy, FMLA, lymphoma, maintenance, multiple, myeloma, non-Hodgkin's, NY, ovarian, therapy, Times

 

Chemotherapy is increasingly being given as "maintenance" therapy, continuing the regimen even after the cancer is under control, as a preventive strategy, according to a recent report in the New York Times. This approach is being used for ovarian cancer, multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Here, Rosalie Canosa, a licensed clinical social worker and program division director at CancerCare, weighs in on what effects this trend may have in the workplace.

*If your oncologist suggests maintenance chemotherapy, you may need to work during the treatment or ask for additional time off under laws such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to undergo the extra chemo sessions and to take more recovery time. You may also need to request more accommodation, such as a flexible schedule. (Before deciding on maintenance chemo, ask your oncologist for evidence that the specific chemo suggested has been shown to work well to prevent relapse.)

*You may face increased out-of-pocket costs. "Some of these maintenance drugs are very expensive," Canosa says, ''and some people have lifetime caps [for coverage] on policies.'' You may need to research special assistance programs for help with payments if your policy doesn't cover enough or any of the extra chemo.

Employers, for their part, should anticipate that this trend will affect their workforce in the future. Employers should consider researching in advance to find or supply sources of financial help for these workers, and they should anticipate requests for additional accommodations.

The Times' article is here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/health/21canc.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th
 

Your Legal Questions Answered - part 2

by Alice McKenney
filed under adult, CLRC, COBRA, college, health, help, Insurance, law, legal, Michelle's, young

 

As mentioned in the last blog, Joanna Morales, Director of the Cancer Legal Resource Center, was the speaker at our recent "Legal and Insurance Questions Answered" conference. See below for some more of her responses to popular questions:

I have a question about young adults. Full-time college students with a cancer diagnosis are covered by their parents plan, but then may need to stop school in order to have their cancer treatment, causing their parent's plans drop them. Are they in anyway eligible for COBRA through that plan?

Last year we had a federal law passed called Michelle's Law and it was created specifically to address that situation. Previously in order to stay on a parent's policy after a child has graduated from high school, the clause in the parent's policy typically says that children have to maintain full-time student status in order to be eligible for coverage under their policy. So even if a student was diagnosed with a serious medical condition, they would have to keep a full load of classes in order to keep their health insurance. Michelle's Law which was passed last year says that a child with a serious medical condition gets an additional year of health insurance coverage and they don't have to maintain their full-time student status. Once that year of coverage expires, if the student still isn't able to return to full-time student status, then they are eligible for COBRA coverage for up to 36 months.

If your new job has an exclusionary or waiting period where your benefits don't start until after three months and you continue COBRA, does the COBRA count towards your creditable coverage* time?

Yes, your COBRA does count towards your creditable coverage time, and also that 90-day waiting period for eligibility of benefits is very common at a new employer. The benefit to that is if your employer imposes a six-month exclusion period on the new health insurance plan, the three months that you're waiting to get eligibility for benefits actually counts towards your exclusionary period. Also, as long as you don’t have a break longer than 63 days, you could be on active treatment and it won’t affect the creditable coverage.

* Creditable coverage is any previous period of health insurance coverage that was not interrupted by a break in coverage of more than 63 days. For more information please click here: http://www.cancerlegalresourcecenter.org/documents/HEALTHINSURANC1.pdf

Do you need more personalized legal help? Contact the CLRC at www.cancerlegalresourcecenter.org.
 

Are you a healthcare professional? Then take the CLRC's survey so that they can provide relevant info to you in the future. The survey is located here.

Your Legal Questions Answered - part 1

by Alice McKenney
filed under CLRC, COBRA, help, HIPAA, HIPP, Insurance, legal

The Cancer Legal Resource Center (CLRC), mentioned in a previous blog, is a fountain of information for those who need cancer-related legal counseling. Joanna Morales, Esq. is the Director of the CLRC. She spoke at our "Legal and Insurance Questions Answered" teleconference. Many relevant questions came up during that conference, so please see below for some of the more popular ones:

Can you utilize a HIPAA plan if COBRA is available to you?
In order to be eligible for a HIPPA plan, you have to have exhausted your COBRA coverage, so you wouldn't be able to jump straight to a HIPAA plan. If you don't use up your COBRA coverage, then HIPAA isn't an option for you, so you would be looking at something like a major risk plan or a high risk insurance pool or a Medicaid plan in your state or Medicare if you qualify for either of those programs, which is why it's so important to try to keep your COBRA coverage because that opens up possibilities that are available to you indefinitely.

What if you can't afford COBRA?

If you can't afford your COBRA plan, right now there is the [federal] subsidy. There is also the HIPP program in some states, where if you have an income and an asset level low enough to qualify you for Medicaid, you will actually get your health insurance premiums paid for you by Medicaid rather than having to actually going on to Medicaid. It's cheaper for the state to pay your private health insurance premiums than to pay for all of your care. So the HIPP program is one option that's available, and then there are a number of private organizations that do provide assistance with paying for COBRA premiums or co-pays. (For more information on these, please visit http://disabilityrightslegalcenter.org/about/documents/FinancialAssistanceNational.pdf)

Do you need more personalized legal help? Contact the CLRC at www.cancerlegalresourcecenter.org.
 

Are you a healthcare professional?  Then take the CLRC's survey so that they can provide relevant info to you in the future.  The survey is located here.

Telling Your Employer, part 3

by Alice McKenney
filed under accomodations, ADA, ask, Cancer, employer, reasonable, Work

Did you know an employer is not allowed to ask about your medical history, let alone if you have cancer? It's true! Your employer can only ask if you can perform the essential
functions of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation. And they can only make you take a medical exam if everyone else in your job category is required to do it as well. Not to mention that you can't be turned down for a new job unless the results of this medical exam show that you can't perform the essential functions of the position. For more information on Reasonable Accommodations in the Job Application Process, check out section I, C, 5 here: http://www.cancerlegalresourcecenter.org/documents/EMPLOYMENTRIGHTS.pdf
 

Parts 1 and 2 of this blog are located here and here.

Telling Your Employer, part 2

by Alice McKenney
filed under Cancer, coworker, employer, HR, tell, to, who, Work

If you do decide to tell your employer, the next question is who should you tell -- your boss, human resources, co-workers? And how should you handle it if you're the boss? The answer is different for everyone, but we can help you decide what's right for your individual situation in our article on Who To Tell: http://cancerandcareers.org/women/share_news/who_to_tell_when_you_have_cancer/. Comment and let us know who you told at your workplace!

Parts 1 and 3 of this blog post are located here and here.

Telling Your Employer, part 1

by Alice McKenney
filed under accomodation, ADA, Cancer, disclose, employer, reasonable, tell, Work

Someone recently asked me on Twitter: Do I have to disclose my cancer to a new employer? This is one of the most common questions that we get. The quick and simple answer is: no. However, you do have to tell if you are requesting reasonable accommodations in order to perform your basic duties. The Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects you from discrimination and requires your employer to provide reasonable accommodations doesn't apply if you haven't disclosed your diagnosis. For more on the ADA and what constitutes a "reasonable accommodation," click here or here.

And don't forget to check out parts 2 and 3 of this blog located here and here.

On-The-Go Guides

by Alice McKenney
filed under Fitness, Go, Guide, Make-Up, Nutrition, On, The

Everyone knows that all working women are time compressed. Working women with cancer take that to a whole new level with the added challenges and pressures of managing their treatment, personal responsibilities and work life simultaneously. We want to help.

We know that eating healthy on the go and fitting exercise into your hectic chemo/family/work schedule is hard. So we have a brand new resource for you -- On-the-Go Survival Guides! They are portable resources that offer practical, time-efficient advice – tailored for working women with cancer – on everything from what exercises you can do while you're going through radiation to make-up for a pale, sallow complexion. These guides are small enough to fit in your purse, but are chock full of information.

What exercises can you do at your desk? What foods relieve treatment side effects? And how in the world is 30 seconds enough time to put on make-up? Order these free guides and find out for yourself!

Feel free to post a comment to order, or visit our order page to pick and choose a sampling of all of our free publications.

Free housecleaning for women with cancer

by Alice McKenney
filed under a, cleaning, day, for, free, mother's, reason, service

Just in time for Mother's Day, there's Cleaning for a Reason--a non-profit that provides free professional housecleaning services to women undergoing cancer treatment. The concept is simple, but the payoff is huge. Simply put your zip code into their website to see if there are any cleaning services in your area that participate, and off you go. Visit them here: www.cleaningforareason.org.

 

Have you heard about any other organizations that provide free services to cancer patients and survivors? Leave a comment to let us know about them!