Below are descriptions of the sessions being offered at the 2019 National Conference on Work & Cancer, on Friday, June 21.

The Doctor’s Perspective (9:00 AM)

What is the role of your physician and extended healthcare team in your ability to work? How do you manage treatment side effects while working? What are some work-friendly treatment options? These and many other questions will be answered in this informative session.

Disclosure, Privacy & Online Brand (9:45 AM)

Do you have to disclose your diagnosis to your employer? Are there laws that protect you in the workplace? We will address all this and more, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), practical ways to protect your privacy and how to manage your “online brand.”

Eating Well At Work (11:15 AM)

Maintaining a balanced diet is vitally important during and after cancer. But for those who work outside the home, eating well on the job can present a variety of challenges. In this session, our panel of oncology dieticians/nutritionists will discuss tips for meal planning and preparation, managing weight, minimizing side effects, and more.

Taking Time Off (1:15 PM)

Taking time away from work during or after treatment can come with many unexpected — and often confusing — decisions to make. This session will arm you with important information on the Family and Medical Leave Act, short- and long-term disability insurance options, and how patients and healthcare professionals can work together to correctly complete medical certification forms.

Career Change (1:15 PM)

Has your cancer experience caused you to dream of a completely new career path? Learn about the process for changing careers, including self-assessment, identifying obstacles and opportunities, creating an action plan, and more.

Enhancing Your Skills: Prepping for Success (1:15 PM)

Professional skills, hard skills, soft skills, foundational skills — what’s the difference? And why does it matter? For anyone looking to change jobs or careers post-cancer, a key first step is identifying what you can do already and what you need to learn in order to land the role you want. This session will help you make sense of this alphabet soup of skills and how to add to your personal batch to make it even richer.

Managing Long-Term Stress (2:30 PM)

For most people, workplace stress is a given. Add cancer to the mix, and it can become debilitating. this session will help you clarify your priorities and develop useful strategies for balancing your job, family and personal well-being.

Job Search (2:30 PM)

Looking for a new position during or after cancer treatment can seem daunting, but it can be done. Get tips on creating a compelling resume, networking, interviewing effectively (including how to deal with those resume-gap questions) and more.

Setting Boundaries (2:30 PM)

Everyone has limits and for those juggling work after a cancer diagnosis, it is important to take the time to identify yours and to find productive ways to address them on the job. This session will help you understand what boundaries are (and aren’t) and empower you with techniques to effectively set them within your specific role and workplace.

Now What? Processing Today and Taking Action (3:45 PM)

After a full-day exploring the many considerations of balancing work and cancer, figuring out how to translate what you learned into your day-to-day life can feel overwhelming. In this interactive session a panel of oncology social workers will field your questions and provide insight for how to create an action plan that works for you.

Working Through Treatment (3:45 PM)

There are many things to consider when working through treatment — from sharing the news of your diagnosis at work to dealing with treatment side effects. this session will arm you with an understanding of how the ADA’s reasonable accommodations option can be your best tool while working through treatment. we will also discuss practical tips and communication strategies, including a technique called “the swivel.”