36 THE QUEENS COURIER • BREAST CANCER AWARENESS • OCTOBER 8, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
breast cancer awareness
How to juggle work and breast-cancer treatment
Age is a risk factor for breast cancer,
and the organization Susan
G. Komen notes that the older a
woman is, the more likely she is to get breast
cancer. However, data from the National
Cancer Institute indicates that breast cancer
rates in women begin to increase aft er
age 40, meaning many women diagnosed
with breast cancer have to juggle both their
disease and their careers.
The nonprofit organization
Breastcancer.org says that breast cancer
treatments can produce some cognitive
side effects that affect thinking
and memory. Memory loss and
difficul- ty concentrating
a r e two such side
effects that
can make
it difficult
for
working
women
to do
their
jobs
while being treated for breast cancer.
Professional women diagnosed with
breast cancer may be able to take
advantage of short- and long-term
disability programs that provide a
percentage of their incomes if they
are diagnosed with an illness that prevents
them from doing their jobs. In
addition, Breastcancer.org notes that,
in the United States, the Family and
Medical Leave Act allows employees
to maintain their benefits and keep
their jobs while taking up to 12 weeks
of unpaid leave to heal from serious
health conditions.
Despite those options, many women
may want to continue working while
receiving treatment for breast cancer.
Such women can heed the following
tips, courtesy of Breastcancer.org, to
overcome any cognitive effects of treatment
so they can continue to perform
their jobs capably:
Start taking notes. Start taking notes
during meetings, important work-related
conversations, and even doctor’s appointments
to counter any
issues with memory. Keep
such notes on a tablet or
smartphone so they can be
quickly and easily accessed
throughout the day.
Write down deadlines
and work schedules. Accomplished
professionals may keep lists of deadlines
and work schedules in their
heads, but that internal list might not
be so reliable while women are being
treated for breast cancer. Make use of
the calendar function on your smartphone
or tablet to note deadlines, even
setting alerts so you receive routine
reminders when important dates are
coming up.
Make and routinely update a to-do
list. Some professional women diagnosed
with breast cancer may be juggling
work, treatment, and their families.
Keeping a to-do list and checking
items off as they’re completed can help
women effectively manage such juggling
acts and save time.
Set realistic goals. Breast cancer
treatment can produce a host of side
eff ects, including fatigue. So women
who plan to continue working during
treatment should be sure to set realistic
goals that take into account the eff ects
that treatment may have on their energy
levels. If need be, delegate more tasks
and ask for more help.
Many women continue working
while being treated for breast cancer.
A few simple adjustments can help
such women overcome many treatment
related obstacles.
Data from the National Cancer Institute indicates that
breast cancer rates in women begin to increase after
age 40, meaning many women diagnosed with breast
cancer have to juggle both their disease and their careers.
Don’t delay.
Early cancer detection can save lives.
Schedule your mammogram today at
NewYork-Presbyterian Queens.
We are committed to bringing the highest standard of complete
breast cancer care to Queens patients and their families.
Call 718-670-1050 to schedule an appointment.
To learn more visit nyp.org/queens/womens-imaging
/Breastcancer.org
/Breastcancer.org
/WWW.QNS.COM
/Breastcancer.org
/womens-imaging
