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?

@WillLokireturn I work at a school and when I met my Ht to discuss my phased return post cancer I was told I would be paid for my hours. I'm not changing my contracted hours but after 18 months off work I need to take it slow. That's why I was asking if you were sure about the whole salary thing.

@OneTitWonder thank you for your post
At the moment I feel like my life will be altered forever and its really inspiring to read your words

I like manage someone who had over a year off with breast cancer. I didn't implement the attendance procedure as I felt it was excessive and would cause them more stress and made sure they were on full pay. On their return occupational health suggested a phased return that was frankly ridiculous. I increased the time they were on reduced hours as I knew it would be a tough return to work. The staff member had over 6 months on reduced hours and due to the nature of the work and some medical issues the staff member has they are not doing the full range of duties yet - more than 6 months after their return. I have also extended the reduced hours for longer as they are finding it hard and arranged for them to be able to park at work due to the fatigue, plus some other bits that makes it easier for them. A line manager should be considering all these things and not rushing someone back to full duties and hours after such a life changing experience.

Have you had a back to work assessment OP? They should really have an updated risk assessment. That way you can use that as a springboard to say something like, “occupational therapy have suggested I just let everyone know the upshot of my cancer treatment and how it effects me long term.”

op. I would try and get the e-mail to come from your manager, rather than you, as it may be better received, unfortunately. But I would also tell your closest friends at work, and the biggest gossips, something simple, along the line that you've been left with heart failure as a side effect of chemo, which means you are too tired to manage things like school trips that involve a lot of walking.

Check with your union first. You don't we t anything that they may use later to class you as unfit for work

@LeukaeLucky it's a fucking cliche, but time really is the greatest healer.

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

This was certainly the case for my dad who had brain cancer. He has since passed away.
Chemo and radiotherapy take a huge toll on the body. Chemo is effectively poison. It kills the nasty cells but also the good cells too. Who knows what long term effects that would have.
I guess lots of factors come into this, age, how well your immune system is etc.

You only working 5 mornings, or having Wednesdays days off, or whatever you think would enable to you to cope, wouldn't be on a reduced salary, it would be a 'phased return to work', done properly. Yes, it can change even after you've set up your original 'what I think I might be able to do' meeting.

Why would a phased return not be on reduced salary? What do you mean 'done properly'? Is this to do with sick pay provision in teaching? I ask because my DD was very ill last year and had several brain surgeries. She went back on a phased return and it was on reduced pay and what's more it became impossible to claim ssp due to the way that works. She's not a teacher though, it was a private company.

A cancer diagnosis means you are classed as disabled under the Equalities Act from the diagnosis onwards

I didn’t know this. I still suffer from exhaustion nearly 12 years after finishing treatment! My cancer left me with life long mobility issues but I don’t really mention it. I’m just open and honest if people ask

People are misunderstanding the legal term 'disability' under the equality act.

The only effect the 'disabled' tag has on this instance, is that someone having had the illness can't have it used against them. That's all.

Disability as a term will mean different things and have different repercussions in other contexts. But in this particular employment law, it's simply about discrimination.

"Check with your union first. You don't we t anything that they may use later to class you as unfit for work"

^^ This, a million times over. I have a long-term health condition of comparable severity and impact to yours. Whereas I have found 99% of colleagues and managers to be kind and supportive, I have also sadly encountered that 1% who will paternalistically twist the 'this is the support I need in order to do my job' into 'oh she can't manage this at all, can she - let's give this task to X and this one to Y instead'

In your shoes, then, I would proceed with utmost and extreme caution before putting anything whatsoever into writing.

I'm on the fence with this. I've had breast cancer twice (diagnoses 2 years apart), worked through the first time largely due to lack of sick pay but took a few months off second time as with a different, more understanding employer.

I too had heart damage due to herceptin second time around but had lots of scans and prescriptions for tablets but hoping to have one final check up next month and get the ok.

I have peripheral neuropathy in all my fingers so they're constantly numb/painful and swell up and throb when I get hot or cold. Chemo also brought on early menopause so I'm still working through that.

There are times when I just want to email everyone to tell them that I might not be feeling great and why and others when I just want to keep it all to myself.

I think on balance though in your shoes I would make my line manager aware of everything and the people you work closest with. But do it verbally not via email.

It sounds like a good idea but I'm afraid it could potentially backfire on you. You haven't been back at work for long yet so you may not have a good sense of how you're dealing with the impact of fulltime work. Sending this letter to colleagues could give the impression that you are not really up to working and could even be used as evidence that you're not fit for work (unlikely I'm sure but even so).

Also, I'm sure your colleagues are lovely and would understand what you're trying to say but what if someone feels resentment and interprets your letter as basically hinting that they should help carry your load in some way. Yes, people are that self-centred and lacking in compassion. For some (unpleasant) people, your letter could look like a play sympathy.

You sound lovely and clearly worry about not upsetting your colleagues but I think the thing you need to remember is that it's no one else's business how your recovery impacts you and you owe nobody any explanations. As long as your Head or whoever you report to is aware of issues then that's all that's needed. I would perhaps share with a few close colleagues who I feel comfortable with but that would all I would do. How about just seeing how it goes before deciding to send an email or not, at least talk it over with your Head first.

Sorry if my advice sounds so negative, my outlook tends to be perhaps too cynical.

I'm sorry to hear that you've been through so much over the past year.
Personally I would find it very helpful to have a better understanding of what you've been through, and continue to deal with. I would hate to inadvertently cause upset or distress through not understanding the situation properly.
Best wishes for the future. I hope you continue to go from strength to strength.

In my previous job we had a large amount of us and some people had various long term sickness, bad events, invisible illness and disease. What one of the admin team setup was a weekly 'living with' email. This email was factual, covered living with one of the above and was really useful.

In my time there i saw a range from cancer to stroke, coelics, miscarriage and MS. They were really useful. I'd recommend sending an email or if you can speak to HR, maybe a weekly/monthly one for others to share their experiences too?

I haven't rtft, but you may find this support group useful: briccentre.bbk.ac.uk/
It is a closed fb group that is exclusively for people with breast cancer, based on research, and many of us have been through the whole return to work thing, so there is a lot of wisdom on there.
My advice (and my occ health Dr's advice) would be to be careful, you might want to be open (as I was initially) but unfortunately employers can then use this info against you at a later date (which they then did). I am very much more in control of my info and what I say now. That act is there for a reason.

I’m in two minds about this but I think it would be a better conversation with your line manager (although I appreciate a bit tricky with the joint head and no deputy). The problem with sending something out is whether it could be used against you in the future but also you don’t know what other shit other people are dealing with. There may be others struggling with long-term illness, mental health issues, bereavement, caring responsibilities etc who might get annoyed.

The unique culture of a school means that staff frequently ask things of other staff that rely on good will and taking on extra voluntary duties. Knowing that someone isn't up to this would be really helpful from both sides, and stop the OP having to explain herself or cause misunderstandings by declining, just as she explained with the trip scenario.

I think on balance though in your shoes I would make my line manager aware of everything and the people you work closest with. But do it verbally not via email.
This. I think if you do an email to everyone you run the risk of putting peoples' backs up when they've had their own issues that they've had to (or felt they had to) cope with without help. Talking to someone one on one makes it obvious that it's personal to you and at the moment, and doesn't run the risk of generalising or appearing to be making the world rotate about you (not because you are, just because there are some in this me, me, me world who do and so some of the rest of us roll our eyes). If you send an email it can sound more like a demand, if you talk to someone you can explain that you get tired quicker (or whatever) and so right now you can manage x but sorry, not y. It just makes it more human. And it opens up conversation so others can say 'actually I really struggle with x' or 'when I had such and such I found I couldn't do y...

Thanks everyone.
@OneTitWonder your experience is just what I needed to hear. Xx

@jennymanara yes there are conditions that are covered under the Act that don’t affect day to day life. The Act says that, if a condition would likely affect day to day life if it weren’t for treatment, it can be considered a disability under the Act.

For example, I have Crohn’s disease. Before I started treatment, I was in substantial pain (enough to affect day to day activities) and need the toilet frequently and urgently. I started a medication that reduced the effects and now it doesn’t affect my day to day life. BUT I am still covered under the Act, and time off for hospital check ups etc can’t be held against me, because if I didn’t attend and therefore wasn’t prescribed the medication, it is likely that I would be very ill again.

With all respect OP I really don't think you should do this!

As an individual, I'd find that letter v interesting and helpful but it needs to be asked for, or permission gained for its receipt, rather than a colleague just sending lots of details abound how they perceive life post cancer. It's not a v 'professional' thing to send.

Could you talk to a head of dept or similar so that your sending it can be agreed first? Otherwise, could you send it privately, to people who are your actual friends as well as colleagues?

Great info to get across, but I think it needs to be considered how best to do within the workplace.

chronicallyearly I posted what the act actually says. And yes you would get time off for check ups.
That is because there are slightly different rules for fluctuating and reoccurring illnesses. Because many people do have serious illnesses where they can be very ill at times, and fairly okay at others.

But if you have a serious illness, you get treatment/surgery, and you get better, then no you would not normally be covered by the equality act.
Also plenty of employers do still discriminate, and that discrimination is not always easy/possible to actually prove.