Arthur Sadoun's Shares a Very Personal Announcement
- Publicis Groupe Chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun has revealed that he just had a “very small” cancerous tumor in his neck removed. He will stay in Paris, France, until June while undergoing follow-up treatment, but he has told his staff that “there is absolutely no reason to worry.”
- Some people find that working during cancer, or soon after treatment, can bring a sense of normalcy to their lives during a cancer journey.
- There's no right way to deal with cancer. A person's health is a private matter, and a cancer battle is arguably even more private. This is why some people, like Sadoun, choose to keep their health struggles out of the spotlight, though he is sharing more now that he underwent a successful surgery.
Sadoun, 50, is the chief executive officer of Publicis Groupe and husband to French journalist Anne-Sophie Lapix, 49. Publicis Groupe is a world-renowned advertising and public relations company with over 16,000 employees in 110 countries and clients like Cartier, Diesel, Heineken, L’Oréal, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble and Walmart. To say he has a lot on his plate is an understatement, but he recently shared there is one more thing he’s had to handle as of late.
Arthur Sadoun’s Announcement
Read MoreHe went on to say that handling his cancer diagnosis has been hard, but he’s feeling really optimistic about the whole thing.
“This is something that is pretty tough to hear, but most of you know also that this is something that you can overcome,” he said. “And in my case, we took this very early. We went through surgery immediately, and we actually removed all of the cancerous cells.”
He then wanted to reassure all his viewers employees and stakeholders alike that they needn’t worry about his health status. He’s already going back to work, and will have further treatments to make sure his cancer never returns.
“Today, I can tell you that there is absolutely no reason to worry,” he said. “I’ve been very lucky that we have moved so fast. The only thing I would say is I think the doctor could have made the scar a bit more discreet, but I live with it.”
Working during a Cancer Journey
A cancer battle can change your life. But how you proceed to go about your days as you face the disease is entirely up to you. For some people like Sadoun, it's really important to keep working.
And whether it be for financial reasons, a sense of normalcy or simply because you like what you do, it's important to try to make a work schedule that suits you during your cancer journey if you want to continue working. It's also important for you to know there are people out there to help you navigate the process of not working if that's your preferred option.
Laurie Ostacher, a social worker at Sutter Bay Medical Foundation, previously spoke to SurvivorNet about how she helps people figure out their working situation after a cancer diagnosis.
Working during Your Cancer Treatment
"Some women choose to continue working [through cancer] because working is a significant part of their identity, they enjoy the job, and there's flexibility built in," she explained. "I help folks think about whether it makes sense to work… If you really don't want to but are worried you're not going to be able to make ends meet, then I'll sit down and help them figure out, you know, with your disability insurance, would this be possible?"
Ostacher also shared the questions she might pose to people in order to help them think about how their work life might look while fighting cancer.
"For women who choose to work, I help them think about what types of conversations do you need to have with their employer? How much information do you want to share with him or her? What type of work schedule seems like it might work for you? Where might you need more flexibility?" she said.
No matter what, it's important to do what's right for you and seek out valuable resources like Ostacher if you need help deciding on the right course of action when it comes to working during a cancer battle.
Privacy during a Cancer Battle
A person's health is a private matter, and a cancer battle is arguably even more private. This is why some people choose to keep their health struggles out of the spotlight. Sadoun, for example, didn’t mention anything of his cancer journey until after his successful surgery.
People like actress Kelly Preston, who was married to actor John Travolta, also kept her cancer battle a secret; she died of breast cancer at age 57 last summer. Her death was a surprise to many as her cancer diagnosis was widely unknown to the public.
On announcing her death, Travolta, now 67, noted at the time that he like his late wife would opt for a quiet, private road ahead as he began to grieve his wife. The actor posted to Instagram: "I will be taking some time to be there for my children who have lost their mother, so forgive me in advance if you don't hear from us for a while. But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal."
Actor Stanley Tucci also recently revealed for the first time that he privately fought tongue cancer three years ago. And actress Helen McCroy, wife to actor Damien Lewis, passed away in April at age 52 after a private battle with cancer.
People have different reasons for whether they share the news of their cancer diagnosis or not. For Marquina Iliev-Piselli, she says that sharing the news can be a burden.
Deciding When and Who to Tell About My Diagnosis Became a Burden
"Deciding when and who to tell became quite a burden," she previously told SurvivorNet. "So you have to relive your story over and over again."
This alone is reason enough for some people to keep their cancer diagnosis under wraps, but, in the end, the decision is up to the person diagnosed with the disease. On the other end of the spectrum, some people find it liberating to tell others about their diagnosis and share their story to build a community of support. Whatever you do, it's important to remember that there's no right way to deal with cancer as everyone handles it differently.
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