Resilient Men Choosing to Work Amid Cancer Treatment
- Alex Trabek remained the host of “Jeopardy!” up until he passed away from pancreatic cancer at age 80, King Charles III is continuing to go about his normal duties amid his recent cancer diagnosis, and actor Jeff Bridges continued acting after battling lymphoma—and we can’t help but to continue admiring their bravery and optimism through a difficult time.
- Many SurvivorNet experts recommend patients keep working if they can can continue to do their job.
- “We always encourage people to continue to work if they can,” says Sarah Stapleton, a clinical social worker at Montefiore Medical Center. “I think it creates a sense of normalcy for patients.” If you’re able to work, you’ll be busy, and you may not be worrying all the time about how your treatment is going, Stapleton adds.
- It would be best to talk with your doctor before continuing to work during treatment. Ask your physician what you can and cannot do so you don’t disrupt ongoing treatment.
- Cancer patients choosing to work but needing some accommodations on the job may be protected by the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
After seeing Trebek’s transparency about how he was coping with treatment and determination to continue hosting the classic game show “Jeopardy!” before his passing, King Charles’ current ability to do “state business and official paperwork as usual,” and Bridges ability to act after dealing with cancer and spending months in the hospital with Covid-19, we can’t help but admire these notable men for staying resilient through adversity.
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Alex Trebek’s Cancer Battle
Alex Trebek passed away from pancreatic cancer after a year and a half of battling pancreatic cancer. While some celebrities choose to keep their cancer battles private, the “Jeopardy” star openly spoke about his treatment process with the public, and in doing so, educated millions on the disease.While hosting an episode of “Jeopardy!” in March 2019, Trebek shared with fans that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and would immediately start pursuing treatment.
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Despite his arduous journey, Trabek remained the host of the TV trivia show and would keep viewers up to date on his progress periodically. At the time of his diagnosis, the one-year survival rate of pancreatic cancer was just 18%, but in June 2020 he made a special announcement that he’s “beating the odds” by surpassing the one-year-survival rate.
In addition to sharing good news, Trebek was also extremely open about the side-effects he experienced as a result of chemotherapy, and how it affected his mental state significantly at times. He later turned to an experimental therapy, developed by Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, which attempts to use multiple parts of the immune system to destroy tumors.
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Trebek’s ability to be open about his cancer journey ultimately made a huge impact in educating the public on pancreatic cancer, and made people more vigilant in spotting symptoms early.
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In fact, one “Jeopardy!” viewer said Trebek “saved his life” when the TV show host shared symptoms he experienced before his diagnosis, and the viewer realized he was also experiencing these symptoms. As a result, the viewer’s pancreatic cancer was caught at an early and treatable stage.
Jeff Bridges’ Cancer Battle
Jeff Bridges was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2020 and started chemotherapy treatment right away. Although Bridges hasn’t personally specified which type of lymphoma he was diagnosed with, AARP noted that his cancer was, in fact, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, cancer of a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the immune system.
While cancer treatment was going well, he was also diagnosed with COVID-19 in January 2021, and due to his cancer treatment having weakened his immune system, Bridges wound up spending months in the hospital.
According to AARP, Bridges’ cancer went into remission quickly after he was put through chemotherapy infusion, which was followed by an oral chemo protocol.
He dubbed his wife his “absolute champion” as she stayed by Bridges’ side as he recovered from covid in the hospital. “She really fought to keep me off a ventilator. I didn’t want to be on it, and the doctors didn’t necessarily want that. But Sue was adamant,” he told the news outlet.
He was ultimately treated with a blood plasma called “convalescent plasma,” which consists of viral antibodies.
Despite his struggle, like so many cancer survivors, Bridges was left with a renewed appreciation for life after the experience.
“I’ll be honest. I didn’t know if I was going to make it,” he told Esquire in an earlier interview. “I was on death’s door there for a while in the hospital. When I finally went back to work, after a two-year hiatus, it was the most bizarre kind of thing. It felt like a dream.”
“I came back after all that time, and saw the same faces [while shooting ‘The Old Man’], the same cast and crew,” he added. “It was like we had a long weekend. I gathered everyone and I said, ‘I had the most bizarre dream, you guys.’ I was sick and out, but all that feels like a gray mush now.”
King Charles III’s Cancer Battle
Earlier this year, a source close to the Royal Family told NBC News Britain’s King needed a surgical procedure for a benign enlarged prostate.
King Charles was “keen to share the details of his diagnosis to encourage other men who may be experiencing symptoms to get checked, in line with public health advice,” NBC News reported.
As per the U.K.-based news outlet the BBC, King Charles’ cancer was discovered while undergoing treatment for his benign enlarged prostate.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDKD) says benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) “is a condition in men in which the prostate gland is enlarged and not cancerous.”
The NIDDKD explains, “The prostate goes through two main growth periods as a man ages. The first occurs early in puberty when the prostate doubles in size. The second phase of growth begins around age 25 and continues during most of a man’s life. Benign prostatic hyperplasia often occurs with the second growth phase.”
“As the prostate enlarges, the gland presses against and pinches the urethra. The bladder wall becomes thicker. Eventually, the bladder may weaken and lose the ability to empty completely, leaving some urine in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and urinary retention, the inability to empty the bladder completely, cause many of the problems associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.”
Shortly after the King’s cancer diagnosis was made public, he began treatment. Exact details of the type of treatment he’s receiving have not been disclosed at this time. Buckingham Palace says Charles was advised to “postpone public-facing duties” but will continue undertaking “state business and official paperwork as usual.”
Meanwhile, King Charles III has certainly been busy amid treatment as The Royal Family often takes to social media to show what the King and his loved ones have been up to.
The King and Queen recently visited RHS Chelsea Flower Show and toured some of the gardens are displays set up at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and attended ceremonies to mark the 80th Anniversary of D-Day.
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Choosing to Continue Working During Cancer Treatment
King Charles III, Jeff Bridges, and the late Alex Trebek’s decision to keep working is something many SurvivorNet experts recommend patients do if they can continue to do their job.
“We always encourage people to continue to work if they can,” says Sarah Stapleton, a clinical social worker at Montefiore Medical Center.
“I think it creates a sense of normalcy for patients.”
If you’re able to work, you’ll be busy, and you may not be worrying all the time about how your treatment is going, Stapleton adds.
Sometimes, cancer can make you feel isolated and lonely, and being around people for work can alleviate feelings of loneliness.
It would be best to talk with your doctor before continuing to work during treatment. Ask your physician what you can and cannot do so you don’t disrupt ongoing treatment.
Remember, sometimes cancer treatment can cause fatigue, leaving you unable to fulfill your duties as you once could.
Fortunately, some on-the-job accommodations can make working during cancer treatment much easier.
Although these iconic men didn’t need assurance regarding on-the-job accommodation, ensuring accommodations is an important issue for everyday people.
WATCH: Choosing to Work During Cancer Treatment
The Rehabilitation Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act protects people with job problems related to cancer. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) may also benefit others. This law allows many people with serious illnesses to take unpaid leave to get medical care or manage their symptoms.
Your human resources department should be able to share with you your options.
In some situations, employers must accommodate a qualified applicant or employee with a disability unless the employer can show it would be an undue hardship to do so. This could mean making changes to work schedules, equipment, or policies.
Laurie Ostacher, a behavioral health clinician at Stanford Health Care, recommends that cancer patients discuss accommodations they may need upon returning to work with their employers.
“Patients need to let their employer know [they’re] going to need some flexibility… Because there are going to be days when you’re not as energetic or feeling as well as other days,” Ostacher explained.
Finding Joy Outside of Cancer
When faced with a cancer battle it can be hard to focus on life outside of your disease, especially when it comes to working your job at the same time. But it’s important to remember that your mental state can actually impact your success as a patient.
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“I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patients are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease,” Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
“And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life.”
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Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology, also advocates for cancer warriors to prioritize their mental health. She noted that emotional well-being has been studied as a factor in patient outcomes.
“We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes,” Dr. Chase told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
What Still Brings You Joy? Your Emotional Health is So Important
“So, working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment [and] your emotional well-being are important and can impact your survival,” Dr. Chase explained.
“If that’s related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities.”
She recommends writing down ten things that make you happy and intentionally making the time to do those activities throughout the day.
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Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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