Cancer diagnoses rise: Way back into working life urgently needed!

Cancer diagnoses rise: Way back into working life urgently needed!

St. Pölten, Österreich - The Cancer Aid Lower Austria warns on the occasion of the World Cancer Day on February 4, 2025: The number of cancer patients will increase by 15 percent by 2030. This alarming forecast not only refers to the increasing number of illness, but also to the challenges that those affected face after the diagnosis. The Cancer Report 2024 emphasizes the psychosocial effects and ultimately calls for flexible employment models to make it easier for those affected to make their professional life easier. "It is great for us if we have a work environment and normality again," says Claudia Altmann-Pospischek, breast cancer patient and blogger from Wiener Neustadt. However, only a few cancer-minded people use the possibility of reintegration.

reintegration part time: a way back to working life

This work and social security model enables a gentle return after a long illness, with those affected to be gradually integrated into the work process over a period of up to six months. The prerequisite for this is a sick leave at least six weeks and the consent of the employer. As the St. Pölten Cancer Aid emphasizes, it is important to know that it no longer costs the employer because the health insurance company pays part of the costs. Nevertheless, there are often reservations about this part -time work, although it makes it much easier to re -enter. "It is essential that we enforce a legal right to this part-time," says health councilor Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig.

Currently there are over 9,500 cancer in Lower Austria, with men most often developing prostate cancer and women breast cancer. While the course of the disease brings hard cuts into the quality of life, those affected and experts demand more support. "We not only need flexible working hours, but also a 'Cancer Case Manager' that helps those affected to return to work," emphasizes Altmann-Pospischek. These medical advances require new approaches to ensure the quality of life of those affected, as can be seen from information from Gesundheitskasse.at

Time is urged, because reality shows that after a cancer diagnosis, the way back into professional life is associated with many hurdles. Effective protection against dismissal is essential to secure integration. It is high time to take into account the current needs of cancer patients and to facilitate their way into normalcy, the Cancer Aid Lower Austria further argues.