Practical concerns related to cancer

The experience of cancer can affect your life and daily activities. You may have concerns about how to manage your activities. It is normal for your ability to do routine tasks like you did before the diagnosis and treatment to change.

Depending on your situation, your ability to work or continue your studies may change during but also after treatment. Many factors can influence you, including the job you do and the side effects of the treatment.

In addition to taking your physical condition into account, it is essential to consider your psychological and emotional well-being. Your job or your studies may upset you, make you sad or even bring you relief. These reactions are normal and frequent. For some people, the experience of cancer prompts them to reflect on their pace of life and the place of work and studies in their daily lives.

Some people go back to work or school, reduce their hours or stop altogether. Other people have to continue working to support themselves and their families. If a person has to work for financial reasons and they do not have the physical or psychological capacity to do so, it can have a significant negative impact on the family.

Most working-age adults go back to work after treatment. Going back to work requires time to adjust. Starting again gradually or part time is often a good way to make this step easier.

Your priorities and ambitions may also have changed, and this can affect your professional path. For some people, having had cancer makes them question their choice of profession and leads them to change job or career. Depending on the nature of your concerns, a guidance counsellor or a social worker can support you in your reflection and any steps you take.

To help you when you go back to work or school, it is advisable to allow for an adjustment period and discuss the arrangements with your doctor, employer or school.

For more information:

• Work and cancer (video) – Canadian Cancer Society
• Mieux comprendre le cancer – Retour au travail après un cancer (video) – Association du cancer de l’Est du Québec (ACEQ) (in French only)
• Mieux comprendre le cancer – Retourner aux études après un cancer (video) – ACEQ (in French only)
• Returning to work after cancer – Quebec Cancer Foundation
• Retour au travail ou aux études –Fondation québécoise du cancer (in French only)
• Back to work – Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal
• Prepare to Return to Work After Treatment for Cancer – University Health Network
• Cancer and Work – McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and BC Cancer