Working Life and Cancer-A New Focus
In November 2019, The Danish Cancer Society launched a new website called “Taking Care” (www.taghaandom.dk). Every year more than 14.000 Danes have a cancer diagnosis while still working, and we expect that number to be increasing. The Danish Cancer Society asked former and present cancer patients and 75% of them expressed that their situation was a challenge to their management during the course of the treatment, and 75% had challenges coming back to work after treatment primarily relating to working tasks and late side effects. Managers lack tools to deal with the situation, and with increase in retirement age in Denmark and a far better survival rate, the need to address these challenges was evident. The managers agreed. 50% of the managers felt challenged by having an employee diagnosed with cancer, more than a third specifically stated that they didn’t feel fit to handle it, and 50% needed help regarding what to do when the employee had to start working again. In other words, both sides of the table expressed the same need. That is why we developed the website.
How and what?
The tools were developed in close cooperation with major players in the Danish industry, and more than 200 managers and key workers have participated in the process. This resulted in a website with the following headlines:
- How to handle the first dialogue about cancer
- Planning the ongoing communication
- Adjustment of working tasks
- How to place cancer on the agenda in a work setting
- Where to seek advice
- Knowledge about cancer and treatment
- What to do if an employee becomes a relative to a cancer patient
- How to be a good colleague
Who can use it?
The main receiver of this toolbox are people in managing positions. However, as you can deduct from the headlines, both cancer patients and colleagues can get relevant information too.
The role of the CIS
Our cancer help line plays an important part regarding the headline “where to seek help”. People are advised to call us, and we provide counselling no matter what your relation to the issue is. We receive calls from both management, cancer patients and colleagues concerning the topic working life and cancer. Sometimes we are invited to give speeches and answer questions at small or large organisations, who have had to deal with these issues or just want to prepare for when it happens.
We find this focus very important and look forward to monitoring whether the need for this focus increases, as we expect it to do.
Contact details for further questions: mariel@cancer.dk