To email colleagues about the realities of returning to work after cancer treatment.

[bsmirched]

I have recently returned to work full time as a teacher after having a year off for treatment for breast cancer that included chemo, a mastectomy with full lymph node clearance and radiotherapy.
I am - and will continue to be for the foreseeable future - on several pretty potent drug therapies with various delightful side effects. I was having herceptin but that has given me moderate heart failure.
I have many lovely colleagues but very few seem to really understand that I'm not, and may never be, back to full fitness. There is a very good reason why anyone who's had cancer is classed as disabled in terms of employment for the rest of their working lives.
I absolutely don't blame anyone for thinking that now, several months on from the last of the major treatments and with a phased return completed, I should be back to normal. I'm sure anyone who hasn't been through it themselves or been closely involved with someone who has, might assume that.
I'm considering emailing everyone with some info on long term cancer treatment effects as well as on the drugs I'm still on. It wouldn't be done in an attempt for pity or to patronise or have a go at them, but just as a plea for some understanding that I may need to sit down more often and may not cope with taking a class on a trip out for a day.
Is this a horrendous idea do you think?

Truthfully I would really appreciate that if I was a colleague. I always assumed once you had treatment and was given the all clear it was over so I would not have had a clue. It would need delicate wording, in terms of ... thanking everyone for there support and welcoming me back, much better however still on... side effects of which are... I may not be able to.... will forevermore encounter the following issues.... etc but I would like to know so that I didn't expect the unrealistic/knew to offer to swap classes for class trip, swimming, PE etc.

YANBU. Macmillan have a work support team particularly dedicated to issues such as these, they may be able to offer advice on how to talk to colleagues as well as employers. They can advise on reasonable adjustments and are working hard to give employers extra training on how to help people return to the workforce after a cancer diagnosis. The long terms side effects of treatment can last for years as well as the effects on mental health. I think it is something which will be given more attention as people live longer with cancer and ongoing longer term treatments.

I returned to teaching post-chemo and struggled with colleagues thinking I was back to normal too, especially the Head. I wanted to send an email at lots of points too. I didn't, because I thought it would be awkward and I also didn't want to open up any face to face conversations about it.

I confided in a few colleagues, leaned on them for support, focused on myself, and ignored everyone else.

Is your line manager supportive too? They should be helping you with this stuff

Tbh, I’d welcome an email like you suggested. I would have assumed you’d be getting back to full fitness and didn’t realise that life after cancer would be like you have described.

Hi op, so sorry that you have been through this! Very pleased that you're now on the other side, I'm a nurse specialising in haematology cancers and it is so true that once an individuals treatment is over, many people believe that you're back to your old self. Cancer takes its toll physically but also mentally and it can take time to process what you have been through.

I think your idea is a really good one and will be appreciated by your colleagues

I also think that's a great idea and I'd really appreciate it.

I had NO idea people with cancer were permanently classed as disabled after treatment when it came to employment.

I second BabyRoob's suggestion. Lots of charities can provide disability awareness training to colleagues. This would be a much better route to look into. As my DF used to say "there's always one" and so this sort of info is better coming from a neutral and informed professional. for pushing on and returning to work at all. I'm sure it has been very tough.

My mum was a teacher when she got breast cancer for the first time. She’d never have done this but perhaps she should have. Teaching can be all-consuming and you can’t let it be - your body needs rest.
Send the email!

I'm returning to work post leukaemia in September and I'm dreading for those very reasons. Ive been off work for 18 months now and I'm so nervous. Teaching was exhausting for my former healthy self, I'm scared of what it will feel like.
Sorry for digressing but how long did your phased return last before you went back full time?

I think it's a really good idea.

One angle to remember is that amongst your colleagues there will be people who know only too well what various cancers can do. So when writing your piece, remember that you have a mixed audience

I think it’s a fantastic idea. My DH has recently returned to work, still not in remission and his work have been clueless. His line manager asked him to arrange his hospital appointments for his days off - even when he pointed out that might not always be possible he was asked to “try his best” - I was not impressed.

Wow, thank you for such speedy - and supportive - replies!
I'm in an academy with a head shared between a few schools and no deputy at present so don't really have a line manager as such. I won't have my own class until September so am covering all over the place. I thought I'd been quite open about how things are but was asked today if I could help on a day's visit to the zoo in a couple of weeks and I honestly don't think I'd cope with a long day with limited rest opportunities!

I'm guessing you didn't have any critical illness insurance/income protection etc that could have given you more time off or the choice to go back part time etc? If you did and now have less outgoings could you go part time. My mum has never got over her cancer treatment - stage 3 - and will never be able to work again. It's a tough tough old slog and you need some respite. Some people just wont get it though and will not view your email kindly so just be aware of that - people have given me funny looks when I've explained my mum can not handle crowds now, doesn't like loud noises and cant stand for long - they dont see how it relates to cancer basically. Good luck OP please be kind to yourself.

@LeukaeLucky I was able to negotiate it over 6 weeks with the Easter holidays after the first 2, so sort of 8 weeks really!

As a colleague I would really appreciate this. I wouldn’t have a full understanding of what you were continuing to go through and would assume if you were back at work you were fully well. I would hate to put my foot in it so the email would be useful. You can just be matter of fact in it rather than ‘woe is me’ that way you don’t need to worry about it being a plea for pity (which it clearly wouldn’t be).

I think it's a good idea, because the treatment for cancer varies and people react differently, it's hard to know how a given person is - I know people who worked through breast cancer treatment and certainly don't expect allowances, but others who have been disabled by the treatment and have to quit work.

I'd appreciate this as a colleague too. Also make sure you declare your disability so that you have that route to ask your employer to make appropriate adjustments.

Omg 6 weeks that's really short to go from zero to full time. Well done x

I think this is a good idea. I had no idea of the impact of cancer treatment until my mum got cancer, and my best friend. They both took several years to really get back on their feet and I didn't have any idea until I saw it for myself.

Also, when I moved jobs recently a colleague who is disabled sent me an email explaining what that meant in terms of how she worked and what she was capable of. I really appreciated her being so upfront. I'm sure your colleagues would feel the same.

Do you mind me asking if you have negotiated reasonable adjustments? Quite often employers don't think of asking and employees wait until they're totally burnt out. Things you could ask for are:

• Smaller timetable of classes
• To have additional support for admin (via access to work)
• lesser hours
• higher tolerance for sickness absence

-Training to be sourced for other staff

• Equipment that makes life easier (more supportive chair etc).

It's very individual but most things that you can think of that would make life easier on you without massively putting your colleagues out are usually possible.

I’m an employer ( not in education ) and I didn't know any of this information , so thanks for sharing. If we had an employee in your situation OP, we would want to support them any way we could.

There is a very good reason why anyone who's had cancer is classed as disabled in terms of employment for the rest of their working lives.

Are they ? That's not my experience. Nor that of other 'survivors' I am friends with. Why do you say that?
Don't get me wrong - I don't think you are yet back to strength and wouldn't expect you to be yet, but that doesn't mean you won't ever be.

However, as you are aware, in school life is very busy. People are trying to balance so many things, that no, they won't really know what stage you are at and what you are / aren't able to do. I'm pretty surprised you are doing more than about a 0.6 timetable so soon after all that treatment. You must be exhausted. However, it isn't unreasonable of other folk to assume if you are back at work FT, then you are able to work FT, so yes, I think it would be a good idea to discuss this. Whether you think an e-mail or a few minutes in a staff meeting, or telling some close colleagues and getting them to share the information is the best way is your call. I would, however, definitely have a sit down, minuted meeting with your manager. I know you say you don't have one, but someone must be 'acting'. Someone must be arranging your timetable. If they are not empathetic, then contacting an organisation like MacMillan is really good advice.

I’m a teacher/ SLT and would appreciate, I have no idea about the realities. Having it spelt out clearly would help our relationship, rather than the worry of getting things wrong/ awkward chats/ feeling guilty realising I’ve been unreasonable. We’d have a clear footing to work on, if feel like a right shit if I found out after I’d caused distress or suffering without realising.

It’s really hard balancing people’s needs and supporting people fairly when you don’t quite know what they are. You also can get wrapped up and simply forget, a clear email would be helpful.

Having cancer diagnosis is classed as a disability, how long for I'm not sure but it is so that reasonable adjustments can be made.