I had signed up for the Cancer + Careers Conference not really sure what to expect. Sure, I figured they’d help me update my resume, but beyond that?

All I knew was I had no idea what I’d do when I had to re-enter the workforce. The Cancer + Careers conference also came highly recommended by a friend who had done the conference in New York.

Courtesy of Coronavirus, the in-person conference was canceled. BUT! They busted their butts and were able to present us with the conference live via Zoom!

And oh my gosh, y’all… They blew me away at the abundance of information they presented in those seven hours!

Some Background Stats

As of 2016, there are over 15.5 million cancer survivors in the US. Within the next decade, that number is expected to reach nearly 18 million. Of those survivors, about half are still of working age.

That’s a whole lotta people in the workforce or re-entering the workforce after a cancer diagnosis!

Despite the commonality of this situation, nearly 60% of job-seeking survivors felt employers would treat them differently if they knew about their diagnosis. And in 2017, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received 855 cancer discrimination claims.

The unfortunate truth is that navigating the workplace can be friggin’ hard after a cancer diagnosis! Do you tell your employer and hope she’s willing to be flexible with your hours and job duties during treatment? Do you avoid telling your boss so you don’t have to deal with any stigmas, judgments, or possibly being fired?

Enter Cancer + Careers

This is where Cancer + Careers is super helpful! I had mistakenly thought that C+C was just for returning to the job market and helping to ease you back in with resume editing and resources. And yes, that’s part of what they do.

But they also work with Triage Cancer, who also presented at the conference. They help educate you on your legal rights and how to navigate your workplace questions from the moment of diagnosis.

With the job I had up until my diagnosis, there’s no way I could stay with the company while in treatment. Perhaps, with much deliberation, we could have come to some agreement. But truthfully I was thankful not to have the stress of trying to hold down a job as horrible as I felt during chemo…

Many people, though, choose to continue working either for financial reasons, or simply to have some feeling or normalcy while in treatment. (I applaud y’all with my utmost respect!)

Since I had the opportunity to take time off during treatment, some of these topics were foreign to me. I had no idea just how fine a line it can be to walk with your employer. It can truly be overwhelming, which is what makes C+C such a wonderful resource.

So How Can Cancer + Careers and Triage Cancer Help?

As I mentioned above, you have a number of legal rights as a cancer patient/survivor in the workplace. Depending on your employer, you may be protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Even if the federal level doesn’t protect you, the state level may.

For example, the ADA applies to employers with 15 or more employees. But my home state of Ohio has laws that apply to employers with as few as four employees.

In preparation for this conference, C+C mailed me a packet with all sorts of publications. (These publications and other resources are available for free on their website!!)

From workbooks, to pamphlets on what to say (or not) and to whom, to a list of trusted websites and resources, to a job source toolkit with information on resumes and cover letters, this packet is pretty much the CliffsNotes version of the help C+C can provide.

They Don’t Just Do Conferences

Cancer + Careers hosts four conferences each year: the annual conference in New York City, the Midwest conference in Chicago, the West Coast conference in Los Angeles, and the Southern conference in New Orleans.

Sometimes, however, you need information immediately and just can’t wait for the conference. The downloadable or print publications I mentioned are super helpful for this!

There are also online webinars to help get you through resume writing. Other webinars include job searching, managing finances, boosting your LinkedIn account, and navigating health insurance options.

Seriously, they offer so many resources online to help get you started, it’s amazing! And all of these resources, all of these conferences, all of these publications, are free.

But I Still Recommend a Conference

Even with all the online resources and webinars available, I still highly suggest attending one of their conferences! I can’t vouch for what exactly their in-person conferences are like. But I can tell you how absolutely informative the virtual conference was!

Rebecca Nellis from Cancer + Careers is one of the main presenters of our virtual conference. She also mentioned that there are networking opportunities during the live conferences that can’t happen with the virtual conference.

It’s possible that these virtual conferences will be part of their regular routine given they can reach more people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to travel or attend the in-person conferences. And if that’s what works best with your schedule or situation, go for it!

But if you can manage to get away for an in-person conference, I absolutely recommend that. Keep an eye on the Cancer + Careers website for updates. They can often provide travel scholarships to help with the cost of flights and a hotel stay if this would be of use to you. (Forewarning: you do have to front the cost of these expenses and will be reimbursed later.)

Final Thoughts on the Cancer + Careers Conference

I was truly amazed at all the information from this conference! They pack so much knowledge and resources into those seven hours, and I have no doubt you’ll walk away from it feeling more prepared and empowered.

Probably my biggest misconception about this organization and conference is that I thought it was all about getting back to work once treatment was over. I was excited about getting help with my resume and cover letters, and I was certainly grateful they did an overview of health insurance options!

But Cancer + Careers has information literally from the moment you are diagnosed! That was something I had not expected. But it is so incredibly valuable for those who want to work through treatment and aren’t sure how to navigate this new territory with their employer.

Regardless whether you’re newly diagnosed or wherever you are post-diagnosis, I absolutely recommend taking advantage of the resources Cancer + Careers and Triage Cancer offer!

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Notes:

All statistics are from Cancer + Career’s website

For more information, check out Triage Cancer’s blog. It has a plethora of informational articles, including some about working through the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you’re wondering about accommodations in the workplace during treatment, check out the Job Accommodation Network for some possible solutions.