Hi all
I am a teacher (dyslexic support) in a Junior school. I was diagnosed in the summer hols and have not been back to work this term.Had WLE, SNB and rads. I am planning to go back next term or maybe at February half term.
All my colleagues know I have had BC and have been very supportive; this includes the Head.
However, the pupils and parents have been just been told that i am absent, " recovering from surgery" ( which I am ok with)
How fully have other teachers told their pupils what’s going on ?I am not sure what to do when I go back. I generally work one to one with pupils and have a close relationship with them and their parents due to the nature of the support I give.I’ve seen some of the parents by accident in the shops etc. and it’s been a little bit awkward.
Would be interested to know how other teachers have tackled this.
Best wishes
I teach secondary Maths. I was diagnosed in the summer holidays and haven’t taught at all this year. I started a new school in september but have only been in for 2 days inset, I haven’t met any of my students yet. I belive they’ve just been told I’m not very well but I will be in to see them soon. I was hoping to be back by easter but following a lumpectomy, margins and then a mastectomy things are all a bit delayed.
I decided I wanted the kids at my last school to know, purely so that if they see me in town when I’m having chemo they won’t be surprised that I’m bald. I wrote a letter to my old tutor group explaining what was going on, to be fair they are year 10 now and I’d have then since yr 7. The head of year then decided to read my letter to the rest of the year group (240 kids) then word just got round I think. The kids wrote back to me which was lovely too.
Hi
I am a year 1 teacher - 5 and 6 year olds. I was diagnosed last May, had a mastectomy in June. The head teacher and staff all knew I had b.c. and were very supportive. The parents and children and the governors (some of the governors are parents) were told I was having an operation. I think a few parents / governors probably do know why I was off, but noone has actually said - although many have asked me how I am.
When I returned to my class - some of the children asked me where I had been - so I repeated - that I had been in hospital and had had an operation. Two of my more scientific children wanted more detail and asked which part of my had been operated on - so I said “inside”. I think the children are too young to be told. If parents had asked me specifically - I probably would have told them. No point in hiding things - some parents work in the local hospital.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
Liz
Hi,
I teach secondary Maths too and had been at my school for 3 years when dx last year and was off for 10 months with 3 ops, 28 weeks chemo and then rads and a spell after to get back on my feet. The Head at my school insisted that I did not tell the kids. I was a bit annoyed at first but had to go with it. On my first morning back to visit, just the staff totally overwhelmed me and it was much easier that the kids did not know. Quite a few asked and still do and I just said oh I am trying to forget all that or made a joke about being zipped and unzipped. It has actually been a lot easier for me as people being too sympathetic and acting like I am about to kick the bucket makes me cry. People go really odd about cancer and some go straight for the jugular and ask ‘how long’.So although I felt bad about my tutor group not knowing mostly they were close to GCSEs and really did not need my worries too. You have to do what is right for you but I found it much easier being able to be normal in lessons. The staff room was terrible if I tripped or anything like I would fall apart.I also had 2 students with parents with cancer and thought I would make them worse.
Lots of luck and it is very very tiring going back so make sure you go back really slowly. I went back on a Thursday just before half term and that worked well
Lily
Hi, think there are quite a few teachers and TA’s out there!!
I teach yr 1, had WLE in March at first everyone was told I was going to be absent till the end of term, then a 2nd letter said i was recovering well but recieving treatment from the Marsden. Everyone knows what the marsden treats so… I have to say I was quite happy for everyone to know the first rumour went round that i was getting a divorce!!!
My school too have been incredibly supportive which helps greatly!
When I started chemo I still worked for the 1st two lots and when i had to wear scarves and hats I told my class that the medicine i was taking made my hair come out. Once they were told i had no more comments, one of my class told her mum every night what i had been wearing!!
I have just started to go back this half term for 3 hours a week wearing my wig and the children have just been pleased to see me!
As for parents no-one actually asked me what i had but they knew i was having chemo and just asked me how I was feeling and were lovely.
But if asked I would tell them, quite happy to get the message out there that it can happen to anyone and check your breasts!!!
I was acting head at my primary school last May when diagnosed. I immediately told all the staff and the Chair of Govs. I am so glad I told them straight away as I was completely overwhelmed by their support and could not have got through the next few weeks without them. They certainly went every step of the way with me until I went off for my op at half term. I just told the parents and children that I had to have an op but would be back in September (real boss would be back by then). I expected to have rads during the summer and be back at work as normal…
Unfortunately, a grade 3 tumour meant chemo which started in July. I did not think I would go back to school but have been going in when I feel OK. Luckily I don’t have a class. I am also having rads now so am going in each morning as long as I feel OK. Very tired just now.
The children and parents don’t know about the cancer. I wear my wig and no one notices the difference. If they were to ask, I would tell them and probably will at some point. But for now, I need normality and it helps me that I am treated normally. I don’t really need questions during the time I am at school.
On another point, how did you all get on with sick pay? The regulations say that the LEA can use its discretion to extend sick pay. I will try to find the link and then post it. I wonder if anyone has tested it? My chemo nurse told me that I shouldn’t go back to work until at least after Easter. My treatment finishes in January. I have heard that you can really feel the effects after the treatment has finished and I fully intend to take time to recover properly. I will then negotiate my return to work (have got very brave with this illness!!)
I use to teach 16year old youth offending and youth with social and learning difficulties. I have decided not to go back to that kind of work as I dont feel tough enough anymore as its quite a demanding job.
I have seen quite a few students and all have asked me about my operation and because they are 16 I have told them its cancer and the girls fully understand and its made them more aware of this disease and pass on to their mums advice about checking etc. The boys were also told cancer but not the type. They are also sympathetic and had lots of questions and I have tried not to frighten them but tell the truth as much as possible.
Most of the children have known, do know or have heard of breast cancer and I try to pass on the knowledge I have about this disease in a positive manner.
The children that I taught were old beyond theirs years at life lessons and many of them I pass in the street and they acknowledge me for the person I was - kool.
Thanks for the replies…it seems there are a lot of us about ( teachers, I mean!)
It is interesting to see how everyone has dealt with this issue. It seems to depend to a fairly large extent on the age of the pupils ( mine are 6-12). As with everything else in this journey, there is, of course, no “right” was of doing it is there ??!
I personally would be happy for pupils and parents to know, but given the age of my pupils, I feel that some of them might be frightened or upset and that the parents may rather they didn’t know.
I guess I will just have to see how it goes when I return to work ( which I plan to do gradually, next term !)
When I was first diagnosed 4 years ago, I went for a biopsy, was diagnosed and never returned to school till after my treatment was finished. The whole school community eventually found out the reason.
When I went back I told children who asked that I’d had cancer. One boy said he was glad it wasn’t Aids because people die from that!
I was diagnosed with secondaries last spring and I only told my closed colleaguesat work and the management team. I told the rest of the staff 2 weeks ago. I’ve been having chemo since August and carried on working but it’s now got too much for me so I’m going off sick from tomorrow.
I told my class on Friday (Year 6 8/9 year olds) that I was ill and was having treatment which made me very tired so I would be off sick. I guess parents will guess from what I said and eventually everyone will know.
Kelley
Hi, I was teaching at the time of my diagnosis, year 3. I had taught at the school for 32 years and was teaching some children of ex pupils so was very well known in the area. Our head without my knowledge told all the children the truth and ran regular bulletins in the school newsletter. Being a church school I was regularly remembered in prayers in assembly. I found this very invasive but didn’t complain as in a small market town it is difficult to keep a secret. I know he mean’t well but I did feel like public property. I did have fantastic support from the families, I was never without flowers or chocolates and had many visitors and offers of help with transport, housework etc.
After the initial shock of everyone knowing I did feel it was actually valuable to the children. I had some very interesting discussions with the older children when I returned to work and helped dispel the myth that everyone dies of cancer straight away. I hope should any of them be diagnosed or any of their family me being ok will help them.
I returned to work for 5 years before taking ill health retirement due mainly to my lymphoedema. Make sure you take a phased return as it is very tiring getting back.
I left my job as an assisstant head in a Primary School on 31st August (horrid head) and fully expected to get another senior job pretty quickly - 8th September in hospital for what has turned out to an ovarian growth (to be removed with ovaries on Tuesday)!
So after 11 years with my local authority with a total of 8 days off sick - no sick pay and no ability to apply for a January job, ‘well I may have ovarian cancer but if I don’t, the good news is I’ll be off with a duct excision in January anyway’ - they’re not exactly beating down my door!
Hi
I am a teaching assistant and i did tell the head teacher and the teacher i worked with the 1st time around. I was not off work very long just the 6 weeks and worked part time while having rads. The parents/children were told nothing. (Junior school). Second time i had chemio…wig and i live in the area i work…so some of the children saw me out. So some guessed i had cancer as well as the parents. If i was asked how i was i just said fine and i was getting better.
As to pay and sick pay…Well years of not being ill or off work stood me in good stead but i went back to work too early the second time because of sick pay. My warning to you all is:
1.Take your time returning to work you may regret it.
2.Working in a school environment is not a healthy one so you will pick up every bug that is going around.
3. You will get no thanks for returning early to work and making yourself ill.
I know i sound pretty negative about this but i did the opposite of this and have really paid the price…especially health wise.
Please think carefully…if your body is saying stop…sleep rest it is because that is what you should be doing.
Take it easy over xmas…ask for help and enjoy.
HugsXXXX
Hi,
in response to Sheila’s post. I had 6 months full pay and then went on to half pay. I took union advice and was advised to appeal direct to my Headteacher as the school decide if they continue full pay or not, rather than the county. He decided to turn me down as he didn’t want to set a precedent and I told everyone how mean he was as I was still in chemo when my pay dropped. I was told by my Onc that on no account could I work in a school while on chemo. Another disappointment is that half pay is not that. Not sure if this is correct in all areas but this is what happens in Essex. They work out how many working days are in the month and give you half of that. In some months this is well below half pay. I was given half of 17 days pay in November. Do apply for benefit as there is one that is not means tested. They also gave me £250 to say well done for going back to work, as I sat through a ridiculous back to work interview despite telling them I had a job already.
Good luck to everyone. It is a tough disease and a tough job to do at the same time
Liyl x
its strange how we are all given different advice isn’t it! i worked during my first 2 chemos, my onc team said if i wanted to work go ahead!! they said most infections from children were viral and its bacterial ones to watch so even when we had swine flu in school I was there!!
As for going back the onc said its good to get into a routine again but not full time, hence i am back doing a few hours whilst having rads.
Good luck to all love debs xxxx
I asked my onc today if I would be able to work during chemo (1st chemo on 7/12) as I am a school secretary in a junior school. He was happy for me to go in on good days, but only part time. I have also spoken to my asthma nurse. She is not so keen as she is worried about me picking up chest infections.
Having spoken to my head (who is great) he has told me not to worry about work at all, but if I did want to do something when I am up to it he would arrange for me to be able to work from home. When I mentioned the worry of going over 6 months and sick pay running out, he said he would be able to recommend to the governors that I continue on full pay, until I am able to return.