Employers And Colleagues Urged To Support People With Cancer At Work Following New Survey

People in the workplace are being urged to support those working while living with cancer following the results of a new survey commissioned by leading cancer care charity Macmillan Cancer Relief.

The survey showed that 7 in 10 people working with cancer felt it was very important for them to continue work after being diagnosed, primarily because it helped to provide a sense of normality, boost morale and maintain self-esteem. However, they faced mixed levels of support and understanding from colleagues.

Over half of people working with cancer said that colleagues had little or no knowledge of cancer, its treatments and side-effects. Despite this lack of knowledge, 8 in 10 (82%) did feel their colleagues had been very supportive.

Around 1 in 5 (21%) felt their bosses reacted negatively when they told them they had cancer - with 13% saying that their boss made it clear that they had to maintain their usual workload despite having cancer.

Although most people were supportive and sympathetic, few employers or colleagues seemed to be aware of the number of physical and psychological problems encountered by people working with cancer. The most frequently cited problems were fatigue (41%), anxiety (39%) and stress (30%). Loss of concentration, depression and pain also affected a substantial proportion of people.

Of those who experienced fatigue, half said that they either wanted or needed to rest during the day and over a third (37%) said that they couldn't maintain their full workload.

Other results of the research include the following:

• 8% of respondents hadn't told anyone at work that they had cancer
• 32% hadn't told immediate work colleagues they had cancer
• 12% said that people avoided them because they didn't know what to say, with a further 3% saying that people avoided them because they were afraid that they might 'catch' cancer

Around a fifth of respondents believed that employers could have done more to help them including the following:

• Providing more emotional support
• Allowing flexible hours (possibly to allow for treatment appointments etc)
• Providing more help with managing workload
• Keeping in touch during periods when they were off work

Dr Jane Maher, Chief Medical Officer at Macmillan Cancer Relief said: "Given the amount of coverage about cancer in the media, it's surprising how little knowledge people have, and how myths about cancer still abound. Our survey shows that this can make it harder for people who are working while living with cancer."

"With over one million people living with cancer in the UK, many of whom continue to work, we believe employers have a vital role to play in providing support for these staff."

"It is worth remembering that some cancers are curable, and that people can live with cancer for a number of years. Employers' support during key periods such as treatment or recuperation can make all the difference."

The survey also showed that over three-quarters (78%) of people working with cancer are not aware that they may be protected against discrimination in the workplace under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). However, they are only covered by the legislation if cancer has had a long term adverse effect (defined as 12 months or over) or their ability to carry out normal day to day activities.

The DDA also covers those who have started to develop some symptoms or have their symptoms controlled by treatment. People who have been diagnosed with cancer but have not yet started to develop symptoms are not covered even though they may face discrimination.

Macmillan is researching areas where it may provide valuable services to people working with cancer, their colleagues and their employers.

As a first step, the charity is launching a factsheet: "Working while you have cancer - information for colleagues", which provides guidance on how to support people working with cancer. The factsheets are available by calling Macmillan Cancer Relief on 0845-601 6161.

Claire Rayner, who is supporting Macmillan Cancer Relief's work in this area, said: "As someone who is currently recovering from surgery for breast cancer I know full well what good medicine getting back to work can be. It's daft to think that we can get back to precisely our pre-illness level all at once however. That's why I welcome so warmly this new information leaflet which should help people in offices, factories and shops all over the country (who, as the survey figures show, don't really understand what their colleagues need) to be a real part of their recovery from cancer."

Macmillan provides practical help for people living with cancer, via specialist nurses and doctors, buildings for cancer treatment and care, patient grants and information services - which help make life easier for people with cancer and their families.

MORI interviewed 165 adults who had worked with cancer face-to-face in-home between 23 February and 16 March 2001. Data are unweighted.