The phone call came two weeks before she finished her bachelor’s thesis. The doctor told her that she had gynecological cancer in the third stage. She, who was only 28 years old. Fares Skansen won the hard battle against cancer cells. Umverda therefore counted her as “healthy”. It wasn’t that simple. – I didn’t have hormones or eggs or anything. Suddenly I was an old lady in a young body. One ends up in menopause from this. Fares Skansen’s cancer treatment consisted of long periods of radiation and chemotherapy. Photo: Privat Every four years, 17,000 Norwegians of working age are diagnosed with cancer. Around 1,000 of them are in the young age groups (15-35), and most of these survive. But more than half of those that the patient organization Ung Kreft has spoken to struggle with late effects from the disease or treatment. The most common of these is fatigue, which is one of the symptoms of Fares Skansen. In addition, she struggles with something she calls “cotton brain”, or brain fog. – Before I got cancer, I was so brave. I had so much self-confidence. Now I struggle with just having a dialogue. Not coming up with the right words is difficult. The 30-year-old shared this picture himself from the treatment at Helse Bergen. Photo: Private “I felt worthless” Fares Skansen tried to return to a 20 percent position after the treatment, but had to register sick again after a week. She was unable to hold a conversation with customers on the phone, which was what most of the working day was spent on. Nevertheless, she believed that there were several tasks that she had mastered well. For example, several of her colleagues had these conversations in writing. She met with her manager to discuss such solutions, but says she was told that they could do nothing for her. – At that moment, I expected them to say: “Is there anything we can do for you to stay at work?” They didn’t. Each year approximately 1,000 Norwegians between the ages of 15 and 35 get cancer. The majority get breast or testicular cancer, and the majority survive. Photo: Private Then Fares Skansen saw no other option than to quit. – I felt worthless. That job had only been a means of livelihood alongside the studies. It’s a job that anyone can actually do. – Then I felt that if they don’t want me there, anyone can get a job, then no one else will. It broke a lot of the self-confidence you have. news has been in contact with her former employer. They do not recognize themselves in the description, and claim that Fares Skansen was offered to work in writing or be transferred to a section where she would have other tasks. – Her experience was still not good, that is quite clear. We have to learn from that, says the personnel manager in the company. When Fares Skansen was back at work, she found it easier to keep conversations going via text. Here she sits in the office in her new job in Rambøll. Photo: Oda Eggesbø Ottesen / news Tried to keep the diagnosis a secret When she was going for a job interview at another company, Rambøll, Fares Skansen decided not to tell about the cancer treatment. Among the members of Ung Kreft, probably one in five do the same. Many are afraid of being discriminated against if they are open about it. But the busy working day meant that Fares Skansen was often nauseous, had bruises all over his body, and was constantly exhausted. Fares Skansen in the new working day. Photo: Private When she finally told me that she had been ill, she was met with understanding and an offer of accommodation. All she needed to do was say she was bad. – They helped by making me feel that there was nothing wrong with me, she says, and adds that she now works flexible working days, where she can take time off when she needs to. – I went and hid that secret because I was afraid that they wouldn’t take it well, or that they would just find an excuse to get rid of me. Facts about cancer in Norwegian society Approximately 17,000 Norwegians of working age get cancer every year. Better diagnostic tools and treatment methods mean that more and more of these survive, with fewer side effects and late damage than before. Many want as normal a life as possible both during and after treatment. The cancer association believes that society loses NOK 36 billion as a result of these people not being able to be employed. One in four patients state that they do not get the accommodation they need to work, but wish they did. (Source: Report on work, health and cancer by Oslo Economics) “You should tell your story with pride” Sales director Erlend Bere is one of those who have interviewed Fares Skansen for Rambøll. He says he had discovered a hole in her CV, and asked about it. Erlend Bere is sales director at Rambøll. Photo: Werner Anderson / Rambøll Fares Skansen then told that she had entered working life late because her mother had died of cancer when she was 18. It then became her responsibility to look after the younger siblings. When she finally started her studies, she fell ill two weeks before handing in the assignment. – She had done a very good interview up to that point, but seemed to shrink a little when she told the story. – I said: “You must tell your story with pride. It has shaped you as a person and means much more than a few years at school at the right time might have done”. Fares Skansen thus got the job, which she had not originally intended to apply for. – Personally, I think that one should be open with the job about such things. That’s when you find out whether you’re actually in the right place or not, she says. – Many of us who have suffered a serious illness want to be at work. But if there is no change on the employer’s side, not many people will dare to apply. The most common forms of accommodation in the workplace, according to a survey made by Norstat: Shorter working hours More home office Different work tasks than before Equipment such as a new chair, table or new light sources Crazy desire to work – What do you want to be when you grow up? Cancer patient. Said no one. Somehow. This is the text you are greeted with when you click on sjuktlystpajobb.no. Huhtala says that it often takes little to get a young cancer survivor back to work. Photo: Ung Kreft This is Ung Kreft and the Cancer Association’s new venture online to reach out to young cancer survivors at the start of their working life. It is a toolbox, says daily manager Annika Fallsen Huhtala in Ung Kreft to news. – The many who are afraid of being discriminated against if they choose to be open about their diagnosis. So we help with tips and advice on how they can get over those hurdles. On a national basis, there are 107,000 working Norwegians with functional impairments, according to the Cancer Association. Fallsen Huhtala says they have spoken to many young people who struggle with late-onset injuries, but still want to work. – We are missing out on a lot of people who can do a very good job, and the consequence is that many people are left out of working life. That is the last thing we need in Norway today.
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Held the cancer secretly at a job interview – news Vestland
