Background:
With the growing number of cancer survivors, return to work and employment retention have become important societal concerns. Recently, unique cases have emerged where cancer survivors, now employers, hire others who are also living with or beyond cancer. However, existing research has primarily focused on return-to-work issues from the perspectives of patients or general employers. There remains a lack of understanding about how cancer survivors experience hiring and working with employees who share similar illness histories. This study explores the experiences of cancer survivor employers who hire cancer patients, to identify implications for healthcare support systems, workplace practices, and policy development.
Methods:
Using snowball sampling through a cancer survivor network, four participants (two men and two women) who had both survived cancer and hired cancer patients were recruited between October and December 2023. In-depth interviews were conducted, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. To enhance credibility, findings were reviewed by an experienced qualitative researcher and a cancer survivor external to the study.
Results:
Four themes emerged: “A community of empathy and emotional support,” “Facing societal stigma with dignity,” “Creating a workplace that respects health needs,” and “Turning personal experience into social contribution.” Participants reported forming strong emotional bonds with employees, offering flexible work conditions, and practicing active care based on shared illness experiences. Their role extended beyond employers to agents of cultural and structural change within the workplace.
Conclusions:
Cancer survivors can act as proactive agents in building inclusive and supportive workplaces. The role of survivor-employers highlights the potential of peer-informed employment models to support sustainable return-to-work pathways. Employment policies should expand to include peer-based interaction and structural accommodations beyond individual recovery efforts.