News from 2017

Elaine K. Howley - December 2017

One of the most pressing questions for employed people after a cancer diagnosis is "Am I going to disclose my diagnosis at work?"

Caroline Bullock - December 2017

David Shutt was a naval commander and champion until he was diagnosed with cancer. Struggling to keep a job that allowed him flexibility for his treatments and a decent income, Shutts felt defeated.

Jocelyn Vena - December 2017

Though the current Top Chef season has just begun, Fatima Ali was recognized as a top contender, wowing the judges consistently. However, Ali is also facing another challenge, a Ewings sarcoma diagnosis, a type of bone and soft tissue cancer.

Robert Klemko - December 2017

Not long after being drafted to play for the Texans in 2014, David Quessenberry was diagnosed with lymphoma. During the first few days of treatment at MD Anderson, Quessenberry received a personal visit from the owner of the Texans, Bob McNair. He visited to tell Quesssenberry his football career was not over.

Lynn Elber - December 2017

While you may not recognize actor Rob Paulsen's face, you will certainly recognize his voice. The veteran voice actor has worked for decades and contributed to over 2,500 episodes of animated series. In 2016, a cancer diagnosis threatened his most prized possession, his voice.

Leigh Hornbeck - November 2017

Meg Keyes was a "hard-charging" finance executive for decades. She continued with that attitude even after she was diagnosed with breast cancer, continuing to work and taking time to recover from surgery and treatments only when necessary.

Frank Lovece - November 2017

Nearly five years ago, Emmy Award-winner, Valerie Harper, was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and told she would have three months to live. However, Harper continues to beat the odds, and on top of that, continues to work.

Chuck Dauphin - November 2017

Since being diagnosed with cancer, Sheryl Crow has lent her time and talents to a variety of cancer-related causes, organizations, and events. This year, Crow gears up to participate in An Evening with Scott Hamilton & Friends, which benefits Hamilton's CARES Foundation helping cancer patients and survivors learn to navigate their diagnosis.

Mike G. Morreale - November 2017

New Jersey Devils center, Brian Boyle, has made a return to playing following his recent diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Boyle received the diagnosis after getting a blood test taken as a part of his training camp physical in September.

Maimah Karmo - November 2017

Having been diagnosed with Stage 2B Triple Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer just before turning 42, Tara Cernacek recalls being frightened. Her fears surrounded not being able to work, and thus losing the health insurance that would cover her treatments.

Viwe Ndongeni - November 2017

In September, Mandy Lotttering was told she had Stage 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and they had to act fast. Lottering is determined to not allow her breast cancer diagnosis bring her down, and remains adamant that a double-mastectomy will not dictate her life.

Alan Gionet - November 2017

Alyse Ware has not had an easy time with her chemotherapy treatments. Three of the five times she received treatments, she's ended up in the hospital, once with an infection that had turned into sepsis. However, being a go-getter salesperson at heart, Ware continues her fight.

Marianne Bellesorte - October 2017

Marianne Bellesorte, Vice President of Advocacy for PathWays PA, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, while she was pregnant with her son. The news was devastating, but Bellesorte notes the news could have been worse had she not had a supportive workplace.

Jackie Willis - October 2017

56 year-old actress, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, publicly shared her breast cancer diagnosis in September, but has chosen not to let it keep her from work. As of Thursday October 19, she was back to work.

Leah Lawrence - October 2017

A new study published in Cancer shows that more aggressive treatment options for breast cancer leads to substantial employment disruptions among working patients. Researchers surveyed a large group of women aged 20 to 79 diagnosed with Stage 0-II breast cancer in Georgia and Los Angeles.

Nicole Lyn Pesce - October 2017

Survivors are more frequently realizing that surviving cancer is only the first battle, fighting for their livelihood is a very common next step after beating cancer.

James Adonis - October 2017

Many assume a cancer diagnosis is a reason to stop working completely. While in many cases, individuals may find they need to take time off of work due to treatment, there are many others who find the diagnosis is actually a reason to continue working.

Erin Mershon - October 2017

Republican Congressman Phil Roe, knows what a cancer diagnosis can mean. As an OB-GYN by trade, Roe has been in the position of informing patients of their diagnosis. However, the tables have turned and Roe is now a patient himself.

Ronan McGreevy - October 2017

A recently published study conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) showed that one third of Irish breast cancer patients had not returned to work a year after diagnosis, compared to 43% in the Netherlands. It was also found that Irish breast cancer patients have less support in returning to work than their European counterparts.

Doug Williams - October 2017

Slowly but surely Chelsea Beaumonte's hair and strength have begun to return following her bout with breast cancer. After nearly a year of chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and numerous medical appointments, Beaumonte is inching towards normal, or rather, her new normal.

Abby Dotterer - October 2017

Kathy Stoner recalls sitting at the front desk of her job at the Children's Advocacy Project when she received the call from her doctor, informing her that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Shocked by the news, Stoner was in a state of disbelief but was prepared to continue living her life.

Olivia Petter - September 2017

Montana Brown survived cancer as a child not once, but twice. Now a healthy 24-year-old, she's become a nurse at the hospital that treated her.

Bob D'Angelo - September 2017

Talk show host, Larry King, has revealed he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Luckily, the diagnosis was made early, allowing King to have surgery and recover relatively quickly.

Julie Bort - September 2017

At just 24 years old, Khallil Mangalji had made a successful name for himself. Following a round of venture funding for his two-year-old startup, he closed out with $1.8 million. He secured this funding, all while undergoing treatment for cancer.

CBS News - September 2017

During Hurricane Harvey's devastation, police officers have been facing damages of their own, yet continue to stay on duty. One officer in particular, Bert Ramon, helped to save more than 1,000 people, even though he was fighting stage 4 colon cancer – becoming one of Hurricane Harvey's heroes.

Helmut Schmidt - September 2017

Superintendent of Moorhead School district, Lynne Kovash, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year but continues to work "as her health and energy allow." Kovash has been able to work remotely as she undergoes cancer treatments. Kovash's ability to continue working has been largely a team effort.

Victoria Allen - August 2017

As increasing numbers of people are diagnosed with cancer in Britain, there continues to be a rise in emotional problems among patients and survivors, in particular Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Many survivors who have been given the 'all-clear' continue to suffer from fear, anger and disrupted sleep.

Ursula Sansom-Daly - August 2017

There's an unfortunate common misconception that cancer survivors should, and can, feel positive when they make it through treatment and cancer is technically "over". However, many survivors report feeling very complicated feelings at that time, citing a major gap between people's expectations and how they are actually feeling.

Mizuho Aoki - August 2017

The good news is that advances in medicine have enabled a great many more cancer patients to return to work after treatment, the bad news is that there are mounting difficulties with that transition back. Many individuals face pay cuts and struggle to cover medical and living costs, according to a recent study by Lifenet Insurance Co.