Many assume a cancer diagnosis is a reason to stop working completely. While in many cases, individuals may find they need to take time off of work due to treatment, there are many others who find the diagnosis is actually a reason to continue working. These individuals note that work helps to derive meaning throughout a time when meaning and purpose are questioned constantly. 

A study that will soon be published in the Disability and Rehabilitation journal, explored the role work played during cancer survivors' recovery and in the years following. For example, one man made the point that his work gave him a structure that he found brought comfort and stability in his life, helping to balance out the unpredictability of the prognosis, while others found the social interactions at work helped to provide a source of support in the rehabilitation process.

For more on the findings of work's positive impact after a cancer diagnosis, click here.