Talking to your colleagues

Talking about your breast cancer diagnosis with colleagues can be difficult, and you may wonder if and when you should have the conversation.

Sharing your diagnosis with your colleagues will allow them the opportunity to support you.

The benefits of sharing your diagnosis 

Some people prefer not to tell colleagues about their diagnosis and find this helps them retain some normality in their lives.

Others choose to tell colleagues they are closest to first and have those colleagues help them plan how to tell others.

Don’t feel pressured to discuss it if you don’t feel comfortable – only you know what works best for you and your situation.

If you choose to, there may be benefits of speaking about your diagnosis in the workplace.

• It may give your colleagues the chance to support you and help them to know what to expect.
• You could let them know when you need their help.
• They may have suggestions on how to cope with your work.
• It may bring you closer to the people you work with.
• You may find some colleagues have experienced cancer and understand the support you require.
• You could give people a short explanation of your treatment and its side effects, such as hair loss, tiredness, concentration and your possible risk of infection.