A quick summary:
April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month and Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. And while those campaigns do a great job of getting people to check in on their health, there's a conversation that tends to get missed at work: what does it actually look like to support an employee going through cancer, or someone whose partner, parent, or friend is?
Because both groups are probably sitting in your teams right now.
It doesn't stay at the door
Cancer doesn't switch off when someone opens their laptop. Whether an employee is going through treatment themselves or quietly holding the weight of a loved one's diagnosis, it's there in the background of everything they do.
And yet a lot of people don't feel like they can bring it up at work. They worry about being seen differently, so they carry it quietly, which can increase stress and anxiety.
Supporting someone who's been diagnosed with cancer
The instinct when an employee shares a cancer diagnosis is often to go straight to policy mode. But the most important thing a workplace can do first is just... ask what they need.
Flexible hours for treatment appointments. A lighter load during certain weeks. The option to work from home more. None of this is complicated, but it makes a real difference. What works will look different for everyone, so start with a conversation rather than a checklist.
It's also worth remembering that many people want to keep working through treatment. Work can be grounding. The goal isn't to sideline someone, it's to make their role feel manageable.And don't let support trail off once the initial diagnosis moment passes. Treatment is long, recovery is longer, and the emotional side can linger well beyond the clinical picture. Keep checking in.
The people supporting someone else
This is the group that tends to fly under the radar completely. The employee whose mum just started chemo. The one driving their partner to hospital every other Thursday. The one who's essentially become a carer outside of work hours while trying to hold it together at their desk.
These people need support too, and most workplaces don't really offer it. Acknowledging that a loved one's diagnosis is also hard, and giving employees space to talk about it without it feeling like a big deal, goes a long way.
Where the importance of good employee benefits comes in
A good benefits platform should do some of the heavy lifting here. Through Heka, employees can access a range of tools that support both those with, or seeking, a diagnosis, and those in a caring role.
On the health screening side:
- Bowel cancer screening test - simple and done at home
- Bowel health assessment - a closer look at digestive health
- Comprehensive cancer risk screening - a broader picture of personal risk
- Prostate specific antigen (PSA) test - a key marker for prostate health
- Male hormone blood test - more relevant to cancer risk than people often realise
- Medical scans - for when you want a more detailed view
- Cancer care insurance - financial peace of mind if the unexpected happens
And on the emotional side, partners like BetterHelp help employees match with a qualified therapist by video, phone, or chat. But it doesn't stop there. Mindfulness tools, sleep support, and stress relief are all available too, because when someone is going through something this big, the small daily things, like healthy meal kits, getting a decent night's sleep, finding ten minutes of calm, matter more than people give them credit for.
The bigger picture
Chances are, cancer is affecting someone in your workforce right now. The workplaces that handle it well aren't doing anything revolutionary. They're just making it easier for people to ask for help, get the right support early, and not feel like they have to go through it alone.
That's something every employer can offer. And Heka makes a lot of it pretty straightforward.
Get in touch to learn how we can help you support your workforce.
