Bogda Koczwara, Director of Australian Research Centre for Cancer Survivorship, shared Sue Woodall’s, Consumer Representative, Inaugural Member of the Consumer Advisory Group – Volunteer Roles at Breast Cancer Network Australia, post on LinkedIn, adding:
“Cancer is not just a health issue – it also challenges your identity, work role and your financial means. Thank you for all your work Sue Woodall!”
Quoting Sue Woodall’s post:
“The LiveWorkCancer evolution – in chapters.
I’ve been reflecting how far LiveWorkCancer has come from the early days when it was just a thought bubble after I emerged from a grueling cancer treatment regimen. I can see it now in distinct chapters.
Chapter 1: Cancer – so much more than a health diagnosis
When I was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago at first, I approached it like another challenge. Surgery? I can handle this. Chemotherapy? Just part of the process.
I expected to lose my hair. I expected to feel unwell.
What I did not expect was the impact cancer would have on my ability to work.
The invisible side effects were devastating. My thinking slowed. My concentration disappeared.
Fatigue became a daily ‘companion’. Neuropathy affected my hands and feet.
And eventually, the work I had loved for more than 30 years no longer felt possible.
What shocked me most was that the financial impact of cancer on my life was far greater than my out-of -pocket medical costs. Even with income protection insurance.
Cancer is not just a health issue. It is also a work and income issue.
Over time, my medical team helped me understand that my experience was not unusual. Many people affected by cancer struggle with work, confidence, identity, financial security and finding a pathway forward. That realisation became the beginning of something unexpected.
It became the beginning of LiveWorkCancer. Follow LiveWorkCancer for the next Chapters in this story. And keep an eye out for our new website
If you know someone navigating work and cancer, please share this post. Awareness and understanding matter more than many people realise.”
Other articles featuring Bogda Koczwara and Sue Woodall on OncoDaily.