Episode 07
Returning to Work After Cancer:
What I Wish I'd Known
"Returning to work is not a single episode. It's part of a much longer journey. It's almost like a Netflix series - each episode brings something different. So don't just prepare for that single episode - prepare for the series."
Going back to work after cancer treatment can bring a lot of questions.
What are my rights at work?
What support can I ask for?
What practical steps can I take to make returning to work easier?
In this episode, Steph sits down with Tabitha Luxmoore-Styles and HR Director Lisa Wade to talk about what can help when returning to work after cancer, from managing fatigue and brain fog to setting boundaries, flexible working, and understanding your legal rights at work.
Tabitha shares her experience of navigating work while still managing long-term side effects after cancer treatment, including how she communicated her needs, built buffers into her working week, managed her energy, set clear boundaries, and advocated for herself in the workplace.
Lisa, HR Director at Radisson Hotel Group, shares both professional insight and lived experience after her own breast cancer diagnosis. Together, we discuss practical steps to take before returning to work, what supportive workplaces look like, why return-to-work plans sometimes fail and how the Equality Act protects people diagnosed with cancer in the workplace, both during and after treatment.
In this episode we talk about:
- Practical steps to take before returning to work after cancer
- How to create a return-to-work plan that works for you
- Fatigue, brain fog, hormone treatment, and the long-term side effects that can affect work
- How confidence, priorities, and identity can change after cancer
- Your rights under the Equality Act and how you're legally protected if you've had cancer
- What employers are required to do when supporting someone returning after cancer
-Reasonable adjustments and examples of support that can make work more manageable
- What to do if reasonable adjustments are refused
- How to communicate your needs and have conversations with your manager
- Why returning to work is a journey, not a single event
Whether you're preparing to return to work, already back and finding it harder than expected, or supporting someone after cancer treatment, this episode offers practical advice, reassurance, and clear information about your rights, options, and the support available to help make work more manageable.
Useful Links
Return to work webinars and workshops - Working with Cancer
8 Top tips for managing work and cancer - Working with Cancer
Coaching programme - Life after Cancer
Return to work resources - Macmillan
Reasonable adjustment duty for employers pdf - Government Equalities Office
A guide to the Equality Act 2010 - Equality and Human Rights Commission
The Health and Safety Act 1974 Explained - The British Safety Council
Disclaimer
The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have any concerns about your health or notice any new or worsening symptoms, please contact your GP or your medical team.
Statements made by Tabitha are based on her personal experience and are anecdotal.
Information shared by Lisa reflects both her personal experience and her professional expertise working in People Operations and workplace support.
Connect with us
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Website: https://www.life-aftercancer.co.uk
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/life-after-cancer
This podcast shares experiences and perspectives on life after cancer.
It is not medical advice and cannot replace support from your healthcare team.
Some conversations may bring up strong feelings. If you need additional support,
consider reaching out to someone you trust, your GP, or your oncology team.
You can also find free online workshops, expert sessions, peer groups and
our 6 week programme at life-aftercancer.co.uk.