Welcome to the wonderful world of Work Support

3 minute read time.

(Emma left, Polly right)

About Polly: Hello! I am Polly and I work on the Macmillan Support line as a Work Support Adviser. I have been in this role for over two years.

Before I came to Macmillan I worked for Welfare Rights organisations and Citizen’s Advice, I have been working in the advice sector for 18 years.

How do you like to relax? I love a good book, keeping fit and good company.

My inspiration: I am inspired by the hard work and commitment of Trade Unionists from around the world who make it their life’s work to improve the lives of their members - including the fight for a living wage, health and safety at work and the promotion of educational opportunities. They teach me the importance of combining our voices to make the world better for everyone.

About Emma: Hi! My name is Emma and I’m also a Work Support Advisor for Macmillan on our Support Line.

Before working for Macmillan, I was a manager in a call centre and a Union Representative. I’ve always had a passion for helping people and so using my skills to support people who are affected by cancer is the perfect job for me.

How do you like to relax? I’m not very good at relaxing, so in my spare time I volunteer for another charity helpline and I’m a school governor. I’m also a mum to 2 kids and 2 cats and a wife to 1 husband who all keep me busy – there’s never a dull moment in our house! On the very rare occasions when the house is quiet you’ll find me trawling the internet for my ancestors, as I’ve been researching my family tree since I was 16 – I’ve gone back to the 1780s so far!

My Inspiration: My son is very much my personal inspiration. He was born very prematurely and so has had a fair few challenges in life, but he always keeps battling. Historically Marie Curie is also an inspiration. She was such a strong, intelligent, humanitarian woman. She had to fight against lack of funding, being barred within her own country of Poland from studying, then she needed to fight to be recognised for the work that she did purely because she was a woman. She was also vilified for her beliefs and her nationality. Yet her work changed modern medicine because she pioneered mobile x-ray units and her work with radium.

 

What does Work Support mean?

Many cancer patients and their carers are of working age and need support to continue in work and retain their jobs. We offer advice and support to people who have worries about their work life and who want to know more about their rights.

You can call us if you are worried about a dismissal (for example redundancy), you need adjustments to your job so that you can continue to work or if you need a sounding board. Perhaps you have a difficult meeting coming up?

We help people cope with their work problems, identify their next steps and help people find the right words and solutions for them.

Our blog

We’ll be blogging monthly about common work issues for people affected by cancer and the ways in which we can help. We’ll be talking about various issues from month to month including: talking to your employer about your diagnosis, returning to work and reasonable adjustments, phased returns to work and more. Is there something in particular you want to know about? Let us know by commenting below.

Did you know?

The Equality Act (Disability Discrimination Act in Northern Ireland) protects Cancer patients from disability discrimination from the date of diagnosis. You are protected if you are looking for work, a worker or an employee. It makes no difference whether you are full or part-time, you are protected. Please see our resources on line or give us a call on 0808 808 0000 if you need help with your work problems. You can also email us by using this link if you prefer - Contact Us

Anonymous
  • <p>Thanks for your time and effort on this. I&rsquo;m not working at the moment as just finished chemo x radio starts next week. My work have been very supportive since my diagnosis of triple neg breast can in April this year. I will hopefully be getting back to work in the New Year and even though work have been great the prospect will be daunting. So I think this support will be really helpful when the time comes.&nbsp;</p>
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember
    <p>Big week coming up.... Back to work after a break of 18 months. Mental health breakdown &amp; recovery over 12 month period, then WHAM . Her2 positive breast tumor discovered in routine mammogram! Operation a success, no chemo or raiography but a complete life change away from all the stress, house move, new diets etc.&nbsp; Living by the sea now &amp; off to work part-time in a theatre!! Complete life change but all good! What a journeyHeart</p>
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember
    <p>Hi, well following successful treatment for Bowel Cancer, my employer did meet their legal obligations, but did not engage with me in a meaningful way &amp; the external HR Company seemed more about &#39;protecting my rights &amp; employers rights&#39; rather than engaging in a proactive return to work. Yes there was a return to work plan, but this was little more than my GP &amp; I put together in 5 minutes. It just took my employer &amp; external HR nearly 2 months to sort out! The experience was very poor and ultimately I suggested I was amenable to a package, - which became a Settlement Agreement. I would have been content to continue working for them had they allowed me to return in greater part to my role. My point is this, it is important that employers are engaged and not just going through the legal requirements. Be sure to express what you expect &amp; get this recorded. Remember a back to work plan is just that &amp; like any plan should be amended to the situation and circumstances so that both Employer and Employee get best benefit.</p>
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember
    <p>Hi my sister has stage 4a cervix cancer she has been off work since her diagnosis in Dec 2017 gone through combined chemoradiotherapy then brachytherapy none of which was pleasant. At the m9ment they want to leave her for ten weeks the scan again to see if th8ngs hav3 changed.</p> <p>last week she got a visit from her works HR who informed her they wanted to terminate her contract, as this was unexpected she was terribly upset. Does she have to accept this happening to her. ?</p>
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember
    <p>Hi there! I was diagnosed 3 years ago with incurable BC with secondaries in the lungs, liver, bones &amp; ovary. I had 6 months off following diagnosis and returned 2 work full time in Dec 2015 (following a phased return). Work have bn v obliging with allowing me time off 4 appointments etc throughout my various forms of treatment. Earlier this year I had 2 start my 4th different type of chemo &amp; following a 2 week stay in hospital&nbsp; with sepsis I returned 2 work but with a flexible work pattern. I&#39;ve changed the type of work I now do (all sitting down) &amp; no longer deal face 2 face with the public. However, work is not the same anymore. I previously loved my job but a combination of factors - a new line manager &amp; a knowledge that realistically I&#39;ll never b able 2 return 2 my previous role, combined with the fact that I drop 2 1/2 pay soon r making me think that I should try 4 medical retirement. It&#39;s not what I want age 46 but I have 2 face the facts. It&#39;s bn work &amp; my colleagues that&#39;s kept me going but now I no longer feel the love 4 it. Also we r facing severe cuts in the area I work in. So is it better 2 go now b4 I&#39;m pushed?</p> <p>WB</p>