Return to work: How do you get back on track after a long illness?

The taboo over working with cancer is being broken down.

In association with patients, companies and caregivers, a European project has developed a programme to help people with long-term illnesses return to or stay in their jobs, if they want to.

Like Sandrine Morizet, patient and bank branch manager

"It's an illness where you can fall into depression very quickly," she says. "But when we know that we are well surrounded and that we have employers who are understanding and who support us, it gives us an extra desire to recover and to move forward."

Sandrine is being treated for breast cancer at the Oscar Lambret Hospital in Lille, France. For her, returning to work is essential to her recovery.

She is participating with her oncologist Laurence Vanlemmens in "I know how", a European pilot project that aims to increase by 15% the number of patients with long-term illnesses who return to work.

A paper and digital booklet is one of the fruits of the project. It contains 13 cards on who does what, useful links, key moments as well as feedback from patients

"There are cards that talk about the announcement like… Should I tell my employer?" explains Vanlemmens. "People can click directly on the useful links. So, for example, they can go to the French social security "Ameli" site to see what a pre-recovery visit is. The aim is to accompany people very early on and to find what is suitable for the patients."

The total budget is €4 million euros of which €2.4 million were provided by the European cohesion policy and the rest by the participating partners.

France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are participating in the pilot project together with caregivers, cities, companies and hundreds of patient volunteers.

Sandrine is