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It may be difficult to decide whether or not to work during your treatment. It depends very much on your individual circumstances.
Some people choose to carry on working, either full-time or part-time, during their treatment. Some people need to carry on working as much as possible for financial reasons|.
You may also find that working during your treatment gives you satisfaction and helps you to focus on something other than the cancer. It depends on the type of work you do, and whether you have anyone else who can help out for a while. It also depends on your health, the type of cancer you have and what kind of treatment you choose.
It’s impossible to say how you will react to treatment until you start. This uncertainty makes it hard to look ahead and decide how much work to take on. It will help to let your employer know this, so that they are aware you may need to change your work plans at short notice.
You may be able to find ways to allow for your health needs while you keep working. When you’re thinking about working while having treatment, ask yourself some questions:
It may help to talk through these questions with your employer. Then you can plan the best course of action for you.
When you speak to your employer, it may be helpful to phrase your questions in a certain way:
Some people choose to give up work completely| during their treatment. If you’re thinking about doing this, we have more information that you may find useful.
For answers, support or just a chat, call the Macmillan Support Line free (Monday to Friday, 9am-8pm)
If you have any questions about cancer, need support or just want someone to talk to, ask Macmillan.
Macmillan has created a number of resources to help employees affected by cancer in the workplace.