It starts with the dreaded confirmation that yes, it’s cancer. Then, life as it was previously known takes a 180 degree turn filled with treatments, follow ups, possibly surgeries, and a whole lot of emotions. But after that, when you come out on the other side having beat cancer, you often need to face the reality of returning to work to pay off the bills. Unfortunately, this is a common story for over 800,000 working age adults who receive a cancer diagnosis each year in the US because 70 to 80 percent of those individuals will return to work (source: Supportive Oncology).

“I had stage 3 breast cancer and was only given a 20 percent chance of living 5 years,” shared Orange County, CA, resident Christine Nichols. “That was 10 years and 8 months ago! When I was diagnosed, my sons were 3 and 8—a very uncertain time for me as a mom. Then, 6 years ago during a follow-up check-up for the breast cancer, a pre-cancerous ovarian cyst was discovered and removed. I feel truly blessed to have survived these unexpected moments in life!”

During her diagnoses, Nichols had not been working and noted, “Had I been in my prior role as a corporate training manager during treatment, I would have had to have a flexible schedule, or take a leave of absence.”

Though her medical team accepted her HMO, additional costs accumulated. “I did pay out-of-pocket for a second opinion, emergency room visits, co-pays, and prescriptions, for example,” Nichols said. “One anti-nausea medication was not included in the prescription formulary and was $400. I opted to endure the vomiting. And the costs piled up, ranging from post-mastectomy bills to an ‘annual maintenance’ cost of approximately $1,200 to help prevent future complications associated with the recovery.”

To help cover continuing bills, Nichols now has a telecommuting job with flexible hours. “I absolutely LOVE my flexible job! I am able to take care of my family, contribute to the professional world, and manage my health. When my sons need me, I am there for them.”

Another two-time survivor, Christina Reck, happened to already be working a flexible job as a project manager when she received her first diagnosis of skin cancer, starting from a mole on her back, in 2005. Although it had already spread across 35% of her back, thankfully she was able to become cancer-free through treatment.  

At work, Reck switched from full-time to part-time project management when she received more devastating news. “In February of this year, I went in for my PAP, and they informed me that I had cervical cancer. I’ve gone through three surgeries and each time the Pathology report came back with invasive cells. My last resort was a hysterectomy.”

Finally, surgeries behind her, she was ready to get back to work. “I think I really decided to get back into the swing of things with my work once I was starting to get bored during my recovery.” And fortunately, her bosses accommodated her schedule.

“I have worked through my treatments, just taking a few days off here and there depending on how I was feeling. The companies I worked for were very caring and generous during my treatments, and I was permitted to work a very flexible schedule around my treatments and follow-ups,” said Reck.

Both Reck's and Nichols's  stories show that, both during and after cancer treatments and surgeries, it is entirely possible to keep a job or find a new one. And they give hope to current cancer patients and survivors that jobs with flexible work options to accommodate their special circumstances do exist.

How to Approach Your Current or Potential Employers

“Gather all the information that you can concerning your diagnosis, treatment plan, schedule and how all of those things might interfere with work,” advises Kate Sweeney of Cancer and Careers. “Then, if you decide to tell your employer, you can come prepared with an action plan of how you’ll proceed at work. Being proactive can help give you a sense of control over the situation and alleviate any concerns that your employer might have about the work.”

If, like Nichols, job seekers have taken time off from the workforce, Sweeney advise not letting the gap intimidate. “For obvious reasons, cancer is in the top of their mind for many cancer survivors who are on the job hunt,” she says. “So they can be hyper aware of gaps on resumes they may have due to leaves of absences. They need to know that it’s probably not on the mind of their interviewer. In this economy, many people have gaps on their resume.”

Sweeney also recommends working with your health care team to make having a career during treatment is possible. “Our first advice is to communicate with your health care team about your work priorities, so they can factor that, if possible, into their treatment plan. Treatment scheduling, oral chemo and help mitigating side effects are all things your health care provider can consider to make continuing to work easier.”

To learn more about keeping a career after cancer, visit Cancer and Careers. To explore flexible job opportunities, visit Working Mother’s partner job board, FlexJobs.com.