News from 2016

Michael Kaplan - October 2016

According to a study conducted by the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research, one-third of cancer survivors go into debt, and 3 percent file for bankruptcy. The astronomical costs of cancer treatment continue to rise and financial burdens are a concerning reality for active patients and survivors.

CBC Ottawa - October 2016

CBC Ottawa's Lucy van Oldenbarneveld has made her official return to work after over a year away in order to receive treatment for breast cancer. Though she's not quite back to the anchor chair yet, she is making her way back gradually.

Sebastian Kitchen - October 2016

Hillary Clinton campaign worker, Tyrone Gayle, was fighting Stage 4 colon cancer when he sent her an email she says helped to influence one of her most important decisions. The email was an update on his own health, as well as to urge her to select Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate. Gayle, though in active treatment, didn't want to miss a beat.

Petra Tiziani - October 2016

After having just given birth to her first child, Petra Tiziani was informed she had cancer. Being diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer meant that she was going to be unable to continue breastfeeding. Aside from her maternal role, her professional role was interrupted as well.

Joel Banner Baird - October 2016

The surgery went well, and the chemo did it's job, so all in all Reverand Karen Mendes felt her cancer experience ended well and was reluctant to complain about the persistent fogginess over her cognitive faculties. What Mendes did not realize was this was a lingering side effect of her chemo, and that it had a name: chemo brain.

Natalie Richardson - October 2016

Natalie Richardson recognizes the role a career plays in one's identity. As a cancer survivor, she is further aware the way her job, and the ability to do her job, affected the way she felt about herself and her life.

Hayley Mason - October 2016

Starting at the Murfreesboro Police Department at just 19 years old, Mike Robinson is nearing 30 years on the job. He's moved up the ranks and always enjoyed helping others. However, upon being diagnosed with colon cancer in March and undergoing surgery in April, he's been unable to work.

Laura Vanderkam - October 2016

While most people do not walk around thinking about how much longer they have left to live their lives, when faced with a cancer diagnosis, one's own mortality becomes more of a reality. As is often the case with survivorship rates on the rise, survivors are recognizing an altered perception of how they feel about time.

Gerri Willis - October 2016

Gerri Willis was diagnosed with breast cancer on April 28 and made the decision to take extended medical leave for treatment from her job of six years at Fox Business News. Now, just a few months later, while not completely cancer free, she is on her way back to work and looking to share what she's learned through this experience.

Alya B. Honasan - October 2016

Alya Honasan is a breast cancer survivor, who often shares her experience through the nonprofit breast cancer awareness organization she volunteers with, ICanServe. Honasan states that her brush with cancer helped to make her feel more alive than she'd ever been.

Anna Herkamp - October 2016

Kay Clark, 72, has held on to her smile, sense of humor, and hope throughout her cancer experience which began 40 years ago, when she was initially diagnosed. A hairdresser for 54 years, Clark wont let cancer get in the way of doing what she loves.

Sarah Goodell - October 2016

Many questions arise the moments after learning of a breast cancer diagnosis. One in particular that Cancer and Career works to address: "Can I keep working?". With breast cancer being the most common invasive cancer in women, supporting those with breast cancer in the workplace should be considered a top priority.

Meryl Lin McKean - October 2016

For so long, advanced breast cancer, also referred to as stage 4 or metastatic breast cancer, meant a short life expectancy. This is no longer the case, as many women are living years with breast cancer. Vicki Warren is a prime example. Diagnosed at age 32, Warren has been living with stage 4 breast cancer for 25 years.

Jeannie Lancaster - October 2016

Though not an easy or enjoyable experience, when Barbara Selden talks about her journey with breast cancer she uses the words blessed, gift, gratitude, and joy. With a long history of breast cancer in her family, Seldon received the fateful phone call informing her of her diagnosis when at work in February 2012.

Daveen Rae Kurutz - October 2016

Georgiann Skiba was not prepared to be told of the pingpong-ball-sized tumor in her breast, but she was even further unprepared for the mounting medical bills that would also come along with the devastating news. As she makes doctors visits and treatments, those which are saving her life, are also causing extreme financial difficulties and stress.

Kristina Wilder - October 2016

The day before her 42nd birthday, Diane Weldon was told she had breast cancer. Cancer had always been the furthest thing from her mind, so much so that she had dropped the cancer policy at work the year before, believing there'd be no way she would need it.

Erica Francis - September 2016

Although according to the CDC, brain cancer is now the deadliest childhood cancer in the world, even ahead of leukemia, Thomas Sikkema, now 20, is a lucky survivor. At 17, Sikkema was diagnosed with a germ cell tumor. Told right away that the cancer was curable, he was immediately scheduled for a surgery, chemo, and radiation.

Isaac Kozell - September 2016

After being diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2015, comedian Erik Bergstrom felt unsure of what the future held, specifically for his career. Though already an established New York City comic prior to his diagnosis, the news of his cancer pushed him to want to work even harder.

Teva Harrison - September 2016

Teva Harrison just had her first book published, a memoir on her life with cancer. Harrison realized the power that her story and words had on the ability to connect with others. In December of 2013, at age 37 Harrison was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer, and considered terminal. A normally positive person, Harrison found herself slipping.

Gercine Carter - September 2016

Shorma Jones is no stranger to cancer, as she has battled it four times. Fighting the disease for the last 13 years has not been an easy journey. The day marking her 13th year as a cancer survivor was spent doing what has sustained her throughout, her work.

Stephen Matthews - September 2016

Upon learning of her throat cancer diagnosis at 16, Lydia Haynes feared her dream of becoming a singer was impossible. Following the discovery of a golf ball-sized tumor in her throat, she was told that the removal could leave permanent damage.She was warned she may never speak again.

Paul Nobile - September 2016

According to reports from the American Cancer Society, one-third of all women and one-half of all men in the United States will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime. With a high likelihood that this occurs in those of working age, it's important to consider the impact this has on both the individual and the employer.

Karli Barnett - September 2016

Crystal Wisecup made the decision that she did not want to return to teaching, following the news of her cancer-free status last year. At just 23 she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma after being told she had a 13 cm mass between her heart and chest cavity. This experience had a great impact on how she wishes to live her life.

Exeter Express and Echo - September 2016

At just 26-years-old, Charmian Kingdon-Wells was diagnosed with breast cancer. Now at age 53, she has only enjoyed occasional short periods of remission since then. Despite this, she has thrived in her career as a nurse at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital for eight years.

Ken Alltucker - September 2016

Upon beginning his job as a bus driver in May, Frank Sloan was excited. However, just 5 weeks into the job Sloan was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer that had spread so far and fast that his doctor recommended that he be excused from work for up to six months.

Ann Brenoff - September 2016

In a move that has shaken up the business world in a positive way, professional services company Deloitte LLP has implemented into their employee package paid leave for all types of care giving. Fortune magazine suggests this is a way to attract and retain the best and brightest by offering a package that more accurately reflects workers' needs.

Christina Morgan - September 2016

Claudia Besco has been working as a nurse in an oncology clinic for 25 years, and is very passionate about her job. So, after being diagnosed with cancer, it was no surprise she was right back at work following a 12-week leave for chemotherapy and surgery.

Ben Lobel - September 2016

Cancer now accounts for almost one third of all long-term sickness claims paid. Breast and gastrointestinal cancers account for almost half of those claims. A report by Unum also uncovered that women are still under-protected; though more likely to go on long-term sick leave, women are still less likely to be covered by income protection.

Nick Summerton - September 2016

In an article for SHP, Dr. Nick Summerton discusses how to help cancer survivors return to work. According to the article, you’re twice as likely to survive for ten years after receiving a cancer diagnosis today than you would have been 40 years ago. The increase in survival rates is amazing, but creates challenges in getting back to work and life.

Pete Dougherty - August 2016

NFL analyst, Chris Mortensen, revealed in January that he'd been diagnosed with Stage IV throat cancer. ESPN released a statement recently from Mortensen that he has gotten the green light from his oncologists to focus on recovery rather than treatment.