Cancer patients need support on job

Sunday

Lisa Tighe was sitting in her office when her doctor called with test results. She insisted he give her the information over the phone.

Lisa Tighe was sitting in her office when her doctor called with test results. She insisted he give her the information over the phone.

“You have breast cancer,” he said. Before absorbing what he said, she marched to her supervisor’s office and told him the news. He responded just how she expected: “You have our total support.”& amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; lt; /p>

“From that minute on,” Tighe said, “He has given me whatever I wanted or needed.”

With more than 2.5 million breast-cancer survivors in the United States and about 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer a year, employer reaction to a diagnosis has been mixed. Some respond like Tighe’s law firm, Greenspoon Marder, helping their employees balance work and medical treatment; Greenspoon Marder even gave Tighe’s daughter, who works at the firm, paid time off to help her mother.

Others, however, talk their employees into leaving, dock pay during treatment, refuse to be flexible or move the women into more-menial positions.

Those diagnosed say employer response can make all the difference in their health. “The support you get from management and from co-workers can actually get you in a better frame of mind so you can come back faster from treatments,” said Tighe, 52.

Women whose workplaces respond in a less-supportive manner say they feel like they are getting a double whammy. Jan Elledge, a 50-year-old Fort Lauderdale, Fla., day-care worker, lost her job, her insurance and her outlet for mental distraction when she learned breast cancer returned after a two-year remission. Elledge explained to her boss she wouldn’t be able to come in after surgery because she couldn’t lift the children or be exposed to germs. “They said they had to replace me because they couldn’t go without a (caregiver) in the classroom.”

Breast-cancer patients face an emotional tidal wave that often carries into their workplace. Some want to focus their energy on their treatment program and take time off work. But others want or need their jobs for income and health insurance. Their days are about fighting fatigue and difficulty concentrating, trying to do their jobs and stay part of the team.

In this economic climate, businesses often find themselves torn on how to handle an employee who needs treatment. Many want to support their workers who need time off, but they are operating with bare-bones staff and need to keep their companies on track.

Some situations might need only a temporary patch — letting other employees fill in while someone gets treatment. Other situations might require a longer-term solution, hiring a temporary worker or consultant to fill in. Most women say what they need most at work is flexibility and what they cherish most is support from co-workers and management.

“The ones who do get support are the ones who are less stressed,” said Bobbi Meyers, executive director for the Miami/Fort Lauderdale affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. “You never want to put your health in jeopardy because of the stress of how to manage everything.”

As CFO of Greenspoon Marder, Kathryn Bass, 56, understands the challenges for an employer. But she knows firsthand that

balancing work and cancer treatment demands workplace support. Bass learned she had breast cancer only two months after she had divorced and moved closer to her office.

“The staff was incredible what they took on for me,” she said. Not only would they pitch in with work needs, her co-workers went grocery shopping for her, drove her to medical appointments and always made the extra effort to keep her in the loop.

Both Bass and Tighe are back at work full time and say they feel fortunate and even more dedicated to their employer and co-workers.

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