“Recovery is no joke” - Going back to work after bowel cancer treatment

Shikha Sharma was diagnosed with bowel cancer in late 2023. In this blog, she shares what helped her handle returning to the workplace after treatment. 

In November 2023 I was diagnosed with bowel cancer. A month later, I had a right hemicolectomy to remove the tumour and soon after, I received the amazing news that I wouldn’t require any further treatment. So, my main priority was then recovery.  

I'm an accountant, working for the government. My career has always been my top priority and I never saw anything changing that, until cancer came along. I quickly realised that my main priority is actually myself, and that I needed to listen to my body. As much as I wanted to rush back to work straight away, I knew I needed to take it slow. 

As someone who loves to plan, suddenly having to think day by day, sometimes hour by hour, feels like a plot twist I wasn’t prepared for. However, it’s important to lean into this and just do what feels right for your body in the moment. So, nearly two months after my surgery, I began my phased return to work.  

My first day back was simply logging on for three hours. That first Monday, I was facing the digital realm of work after what felt like a lifetime away. Joining the first team meeting was like stepping onto a virtual red carpet, complete with everyone’s faces staring at me, or at least, that's what it felt like. Once I had gotten over the initial nerves, it felt so nice to see my team and it helped that I have an incredibly supportive and understanding manager.  

Three hours online was all it took to make me feel absolutely exhausted. As soon as I logged off, I fell asleep! This made me realise that recovery is no joke and that it’s not just about going back to work, it’s about easing back into life, one email, one chat, and one cup of tea at a time.  

Here’s #OneThing I’ve learned – nobody expects you to be the office superhero from day one. So, take a deep breath, open up to those around you, and let them know you’re figuring it out one step at a time. 

Here are some tips that helped me deal with returning to work: 

Be honest 

• Be honest with yourself, and your employer, about how you’re feeling 
• Have regular catch ups with your manager. Check in about how you’re feeling and provide regular progress reports about your accomplishments 
• If you haven’t had a great day, be open about it 
   

Tell your co-workers 

• Once you finalise your return-to-work date, consider telling your co-workers 
• Focus on informing the co-workers that you have friendly relationships with, and who you’d normally speak to outside of the workplace. This may help provide a gradual transition back to work 
  
  

Establish boundaries 

• Consider setting limits for how much you work each week, for example you may consider reduced hours or alternate days 
• It’s important to be mindful of your health and allow yourself to transition back into work without putting recovery at risk 

• Say NO if it gets too much. You don’t need to people please 
  
  

Be kind to yourself 

• Allow yourself time to adjust to returning to work 
• If you feel overwhelmed with the transition, consider asking for help. For example, you may ask your manager about modifying your tasks 
• Try to maintain a good work-life balance and practice self-care