WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T DO

Excerpted from Cancer Care.org. For more information see the Cancer Care web site http://www.cancercare.org or contact them directly at 1-800-813-HOPE.

• Pull away and isolate the person with cancer
• Think you have to or can rescue someone from cancer
• Be afraid to be physical. A touch or hug may be what a person with cancer could use from you (depending on your relationship prior to cancer).
• Feel that it is your responsibility to cheer-up the person with cancer.
• Think that you always must talk about cancer.

You may want to speak to a coworker about his or her illness, but you are not sure how to approach the subject. Take your cues from the person with cancer. They will give clues about whether and how much they want to talk about their cancer experience. No two people with cancer are alike, each will cope with cancer in his/her own individual way. Some will want to talk about their experience with cancer; others will prefer to say as little as possible.

Remember: the extent of your involvement will depend upon the nature of your relationship prior to the onset of cancer.

For more on coping with a co-worker's experience with cancer, speak to an oncologist-trained social worker from Cancer Care, or visit When Someone You Work With Has Cancer - American Cancer Society