Many people living with cancer want to return to work. They mention both financial and emotional reasons for going back to work, with a job restoring normality, stability, social contact and income, according to the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
Advice on returning to work for people living with cancer is the theme of one of the many fact sheets created by UICC to mark World Cancer Day [1] (4 Feb).
This fact sheet suggests that people living with the disease speak to their employers about making some allowances to support them to get back to work successfully. These could include changes in tasks or accommodation of different physical needs, e.g. adjusting for changes in mobility or physical functioning such as difficulty with stairs.
It is also important for people with cancer who want to return to work to understand their rights. In many countries employers have a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments at work for people living with cancer and to ensure they are not at a disadvantage compared to other employees, adds the fact sheet.
World Cancer Day [3]