Objectives: a) To describe how women diagnosed with breast cancer navigated returning to work during/after treatment completion b) to explore how time since diagnosis affected the likelihood of participating in the Beyond Cancer program
Methods: Beyond Cancer was developed to support women returning to work. It consisted of individualised health coaching, RTW planning and monitoring, and employer education & support delivered by trained occupational rehabilitation consultants. Participants included women who were being / had been treated for BrCa and were referred to the Beyond Cancer program through their life insurer as part of their rehabilitation claim. In total 55 survivors participated in the program. Four case studies were selected to explore women’s experiences and the effect of time since diagnosis.
Results: The case studies demonstrate the unique nature of the breast cancer survivor's journey with respect to building work capacity and returning to sustainable work. The time since diagnosis when they were referred to the program varied greatly as did the participants ability to engage with the program and realise its benefits. The benefits of the program included improved self-confidence, gradual and sustainable return to work with support from their employers and families. Unfortunately, not all women were able to return to work depending on their rehabilitation status. These survivors who were unable to return to work may benefit from earlier or later referral with respect to their rehabilitation journey, and may also benefit from other types of support.
Conclusion: This presentation of four case studies demonstrates the challenges surrounding returning to ‘good’ work following breast cancer and highlights that careful consideration of the timing of referral and offering additional supports may facilitate this process.