October is recognised globally as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to help raise awareness and fundraise for breast cancer. Breast cancer affects 2.3 million women worldwide and in 2022, 11.6% of all cancers diagnosed were female breast cancer, making it the world’s second most common cancer.
In the UK, around 55,000 people are diagnosed each year, which is why we are fully supportive of this campaign. This blog looks at what some of the charities in the UK are doing as this often highlights different aspects of breast cancer which is such a broad topic. And, with a view to prevention, we look at the signs and what employers can do to support their employees who become diagnosed.
What charities are involved and their main message?
There are many charities involved in raising awareness, caring for and researching breast cancer. And many share the use of the colour pink as well as a pink ribbon, so often adopted in fundraising events. ‘Think Pink’ for breast cancer has become synonymous with fundraising.
Here are some messages for Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2024:
- The Macmillan Trust wants to be able to take care of people with breast cancer during and after treatment as well as raising awareness on information about breast cancer for everyone.
- Breast Cancer Now aims to raise awareness of secondary breast cancer, also known as metastatic, and to fund research to help give them more time.
- Breast Cancer Org takes the view that the month is about more than pink ribbons and while this can inspire some, others may feel like the month may overlook their experience with the disease.
The common aim of all these campaigns is to share news, views, awareness and support. We feel there is valuable information across many of the different campaign sites.
Breast Cancer in the UK
We start with good news. Surviving breast cancer has doubled due to the focus on earlier detection, as well as improved treatments and care. It’s estimated that 600,000 people in the UK are alive after getting a diagnosis of breast cancer. In the UK around 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer, and a further 7,000 people are diagnosed with DCIS which is an early form of breast cancer.
Removing the stigma
Men, trans men and non-binary people may be more embarrassed to talk about it whether that be with doctors, friends or family, meaning they risk not being diagnosed or treated for it. Talking to others can be beneficial to help start the journey. This can be done through organisations such as the Someone Like Me Service or the Men’s Virtual Meetup. These are organisations and online support groups there for people to talk about their experiences.
Signs and symptoms
There are many different signs and symptoms that can affect everyone differently.
Common signs for women are:
- A lump or swelling in the breast, upper chest or armpit.
- A change in size or shape of the breast.
- A change in skin texture such as puckering or dimpling of the skin.
- A change in colour of the breast. It could be red or inflamed.
- Rash, crusting or changes to the nipple.
- Unusual discharge from the nipples.
Don’t forget that not all lumps in your breast are cancer. Some are cysts that are filled with fluid, or they can be made up of fibrous and glandular tissue. But it’s important to get checked by a GP if you experience these symptoms or notice anything different for you.
Common signs for men are:
- A lump in the chest, collarbone or armpit. Often painless.
- Discharge from the nipple that might be blood stained.
- Nipple change such as tenderness or being pulled in.
- Sores on the chest or nipple area.
How can employers offer support?
It’s important to remember that, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010, anyone who has or has had breast cancer is classed as disabled. This protects employees in England, Scotland and Wales from being discriminated against because of their disability. The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 protects people living in Northern Ireland. Employees cannot lose their job or be treated less favourably for having breast cancer.
As an employer you can best support your employees who are going through breast cancer by making reasonable adjustments – whether that be to the workplace or the job role. It’s important to remember that everyone’s experiences are different and there’s no uniform approach. Some may need more time to recover while others may want to come back into work as soon as they can as a step towards returning to normality.
Examples of reasonable adjustments that can be made are:
- A phased return to work to let them resume their job at their own speed.
- Flexible working by changing work hours or days as well as letting people have time off for medical appointments.
- Reducing the workload or a change in job role.
- Thinking about office layout and proximity to toilets and use of fans.
- Understanding that more breaks may be needed and that energy levels may dip.
- Recognition that where uniforms are provided, these may need to be adjusted to meet the needs of the individual.
Of course, while all of this can be positive in helping and supporting your people, it’s important to recognise that they may find the whole process delicate to discuss and stressful to go through. Empathy is important in each and every conversation, but please remember that they remain the same people they were before diagnosis so don’t forget to engage in normal office chat and make them feel as welcome and involved as you always have.
In conclusion
Any form of cancer diagnosis can have a significant impact on an employee’s life. As breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK with approximately 1 in 8 women being diagnosed during their lifetime, employers will need to create both awareness of the condition, as well as a culture that’s supportive, with conversations and adjustments delivered with empathy and understanding.
Get our guide
Cordell Health have produced a new podcast as well as guides for employees on breast cancer awareness, available to subscribers to our wellbeing service. If you are not signed up to this service and would like to find out more, please contact us on wellbeing@cordellhealth.co.uk.
Helpful sources of info:
https://preventbreastcancer.org.uk/ – here you can read up more on signs and symptoms as well as finding blogs that raise awareness for breast cancer as well as reading stories of survivors.
https://coppafeel.org/ – this website has YouTube videos raising awareness on self-checking for differences to help spot breast cancer earlier, it also helps to share and spread other people’s stories too.
https://www.pinkribbonfoundation.org.uk/ – this is a charity page where you can give or receive support.
Photo by Angiola Harry on Unsplash
