Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice from those who’ve navigated life after breast cancer. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022/2023 and underwent chemotherapy at a private hospital, thanks to the health insurance provided by my employer. I’m now fully recovered and on tamoxifen for the next three years.
The situation:
I currently work in a call-center from home 2.5 days a week (including Sundays), handling 40–50 calls a day. The pay is just above minimum wage, and I haven’t had a raise in six years. There’s no room for progression as a remote worker, and I really dislike the job. The only major perk is the private health insurance, which I’ve valued a lot given my history.
I’ve recently been offered a new job at our local university. It’s full-time, offers weekends off, lots of annual leave, and has opportunities for progression. However, it doesn’t come with private health insurance. I reached out to my current private insurer, and the cost of continuing coverage for my family and me would be £800 per month—more than I can comfortably afford.
My plan:
I’m considering taking the new job and putting £800/month into a savings account instead. Over five years (while I’m still actively monitored and on tamoxifen), this could give me a significant nest egg (£48k) to cover private treatment if needed. My NHS surgeon is monitoring an active lymph node, which is reassuring but also a little worrying. Both my NHS and private oncologists are confident it’s related to tamoxifen and my implant, but it’s something we’re keeping an eye on.
If there’s no recurrence, I’ll have saved a good amount of money. If there is, I’d use those savings (plus some existing savings) to pay for private treatment, which I’ve priced at around £30k for the chemo I had last time.
My question:
Would you stay in a job you hate for the security of private health insurance, or would you take the new job, save for potential treatment, and rely on NHS care if needed?
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s faced a similar decision or has advice on how to balance health, finances, and quality of life after cancer.
Thank you so much for reading.