Leaving & Returning to Work & School

At some point following a diagnosis, it’s not uncommon for people living with myeloma, and their caregivers, to take time off of work or school. The amount of time you can take off will depend on your specific situation – so before doing anything, it’s important to ask questions and weigh all your options and then decide what’s right for you.

Here are some important considerations:

• Start date of your treatment and length of each treatment;
• Number of cycles for a full treatment regimen;
• Frequency of travel for treatment/testing/monitoring;
• Periods of recuperation (e.g., following a stem cell transplant) and/or additional therapies;
• Common side effects of treatment and their impact on daily activities, work and/or school;
• Workplace/school risks (e.g., risk of infection, physical labour).

Once you have a better idea of when you’ll be returning, be sure to notify your employer, union or school in advance, in writing. Workplaces and schools can often slowly ease you back into, or modify, your duties.

See how you can plan your leave or return here.