Advocacy Spotlight: Cancer and Careers

Cancer and Careers is the only program of its kind, dedicated to empowering and educating people with cancer to thrive in their workplace by providing expert advice, interactive tools, and educational events. Through a comprehensive website, free publications, career coaching, and a series of support groups and educational seminars for employees with cancer and their healthcare providers and coworkers, Cancer and Careers strives to eliminate fear and uncertainty for working people with cancer.

Patients/Survivors

Cancer and Careers offers a variety of tools and resources for those working during or after cancer treatment. Cancerandcareers.org is filled with articles, downloadable tools, charts, and checklists covering everything from telling your boss, to scheduling treatments, to knowing your legal rights. The website (available in English and Spanish) now features expanded content for lower income workers, including where to get pro-bono legal advice and financial assistance, as well as what to do if you do not have insurance.

Two of the most popular areas of the website are the

Online Diary

and the

Online Career Coaching Center

. The Diary is an interactive tool for people to share their personal experiences of working through cancer. The Coaching Center is a one-of-a-kind resource that offers survivors free access to professional coaches who address individual questions on how to manage their careers during and after treatment, as well as articles on universal professional development issues that affect employees with cancer.

Another great (and free!) resource Cancer and Careers offers is a

Library of Publications

, including the newly updated 3rd edition of the Living and Working With Cancer Workbook, the Most Important Resources for Working People with Cancer brochure, the Survival Guide to Working With Cancer as a Chronic Illness, and the On The Go Guides, which feature indispensable advice on nutrition, fitness, and beauty. All publications are available in English and Spanish.

For those who prefer in-person events, Cancer and Careers also offers nationally-held

Cancer and Careers Community Seminars

, addressing the unique challenges of cancer in the workplace. The series offers people with cancer guidance on some of the biggest issues faced when trying to balance both treatment and work. The Oncology Nursing Society and Association of Oncology Social Work—accredited

National Conference on Work & Cancer

addresses the complexities people face as they try to balance their cancer treatment and recovery with employment. The New York City conference features experts discussing legal issues, health insurance, and career counseling. The event is intended for patients, survivors, healthcare professionals, and caregivers. To register, go to cancerandcareers.org/conference.

Cancer and Careers also offers

Ask The Experts: Legal and Career Advice

for people with cancer dealing with issues across the work continuum. This teleconference series provides unprecedented access to expert guidance and referrals. To register, go to cancerandcareers.org/asktheexperts.

Young Adults

This underserved community of younger patients and survivors aged 18-40 years has its own set of unique challenges to tackle, including the issue of working through treatment early in a career. Cancer and Careers offers Job Search Tools, including an Interview Cheat Sheet, Networking Tracker, Case Studies, and Sample Resumes. Cancer and Careers also presents at conferences for this audience, including the

OMG! Cancer Summit for Young Adults

. At these events, Cancer and Careers provides vital information on the issues of working through treatment for young professionals with cancer.

Healthcare Professionals

Cancer and Careers offers an

Educational Series for Healthcare Professionals

, which provides oncology nurses, social workers, patient navigators, and other support providers with concise, targeted information on combining work and cancer treatment so that they can effectively inform their patients. This semi-annual, accredited program includes a multi-part seminar series that is accessible via webinars or teleconferences, and archived on the Cancer and Careers website for replay anytime. There is also a dedicated website area for healthcare professionals on advising patients who are combining work and treatment. The section includes articles, access to archived presentations, and a downloadable community seminar kit that enables healthcare professionals to host their own educational events.

To learn more, visit www.cancerandcareers.org.

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