How Can Companies “Truly” Support Cancer Warriors?

A few years ago, working as a consultant in a mid-size organization, noticed a weird pattern of scheduling mandatory in-person management discussions with woman candidates before rolling out the offer. Though initially, I couldn’t get the motive behind this needless lopsided move, later it dawned that women suspected in the “Family Way” were let go with some flimsy reasons. Managers perceived such candidates would negatively impact the project margins in the short term. A devious, despicable and discriminatory behavior that wasn’t part of any policy hub but was sweepingly practiced in a subtle yet sacred way. Such a pervert, self-serving, capitalistic mindset to maintain higher margins is not limited to maternity scenarios alone but to many chronic illnesses, and Cancer stands out as the most discriminated disease in this stack. Relegating cancer warriors to inconsequential roles and gradually tagging them as low/non-performers leading progressively to their exit, is a well-orchestrated deceptive ploy that looks so natural to the casual eye. Remember, a Cancer warrior’s battle might have started in the edifice of a hospital, but it doesn’t end there; it continues more fiercely in the power corridors of the corporates.

If you have a team member in the active treatment of Cancer, let’s first remember the golden rule “Cancer is a disease and not a death sentence”. Don’t just tag them as “(S)Heroes” and deliver flowery rhetoric praising their audacity and tenacity; such husky voice glorification is a fleeting and futile fling. A sincere commitment towards the cause is to get in their skin and better understand their conditions.

• A Cancer patient in a regular chemotherapy session will be at heights of physical exhaustion in the first two days post-chemo, be aware of this strenuous cycle.
• While hair loss is a common known side effect, continuous infusion of powerful meds often leads to dental gaps leading to slowness in lunch tables and avoidance of specific food items, be respectful of this change.
• Many colorectal chemo patients have an external stoma bag for excretion; such projections dent the self-image of patients and tend to withdraw from groups, let’s take cautious, calibrated steps to make them feel included.
• “Why me?” questions lead to mood swings and often lead to anxiety attacks in the initial stages, so it’s imperative that the team doesn’t build on this vicious negative cycle but provides a solid optimistic platform.

I can keep endlessly enumerating such scenarios, but the underpinning fact is that cancer patients don’t need sympathy but our sincerity and sensitivity in our interactions with them.

What can an organization effectively do for a cancer patient? Cancer may not care about your bank account, but the cost of treatment certainly does.

• Being a wealthy person disease, Cancer in no time opens the doors to bankruptcy, so organizations should start providing separate cover for cancer treatment. It’s okay if it mandates a higher proportion of employee premiums. However, an employer is in an incredible negotiating position with insurance groups to provide rich cancer coverage that cannot be afforded in retail/individuals.
• Cancer treatments are not only costlier but lengthier too. Hence, the standard leave policy to provide a sabbatical with no pay is a double blow to the patient (especially when they are the sole breadwinner) and their family, so humanely reconsider the policies on such genuine cases.
• The HR team should put in guardrails that enable cancer warriors to be given the right roles and not diluted in invisible areas under the charade of risk mitigation.
• Unfortunately, cancer sensitization training has to be included in the employee handbook as Cancer cases are on the rise.

While we can codify and continuously strengthen the rule books, the human mind is smart enough to pick up and exploit loopholes, just as in the maternity example. To such contrived minds, let me state that Cancer doesn’t discriminate based on gender, race, or religion. It can strike anyone anytime, and most often, it’s detected at the advanced stage, so let’s not forget karma is a bi**h. At the same time, when we tune the system to discriminate against cancer patients, tables can turn in other directions too, making the hunter be the hunted. Let’s remember as we chase after the wind, thinking we’ll catch the sun and build castles in the cloud in the end; everything under the sun is vanity.