When I got my stage 1B breast cancer diagnosis in November 2022, my first thought after the shock wasn’t just, How will I beat this? As my family’s breadwinner, it was, How will I be able to beat this while supporting my family?
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. One in eight women will face breast cancer in their lifetime, and most are diagnosed during our working years. The treatments bring exhaustion that makes afternoons feel like a slog, “chemo brain” that turns simple emails into exhausting tasks, and emotional ups and downs that hit at the worst of times.
And yet many of us choose to keep working — sometimes because of the need for financial stability but also because our jobs give us routine, purpose, and normalcy, especially when everything else feels chaotic.
As someone who went through 15 rounds of chemotherapy, a lumpectomy, and 23 rounds of radiation while working full-time, managing a team, and raising 3 teenage boys, I know firsthand that you can thrive at work during breast cancer treatment — but it takes planning, boundaries, and a complete shift in how you define success. This is a road map for making it work.
Know your rights and ask for what you need
Here’s something many women don’t know: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), cancer is considered a disability from the moment you’re diagnosed. That means that your employer is required to make reasonable accommodations so you can continue doing your job.
But it’s important to be specific: Instead of asking for “some flexibility,” say, “I need to take time off on Fridays when I have chemo.” Get documentation about your specific diagnosis and care plan from your doctor, meet with HR within 30 days of starting treatment, and put all your PTO and special-accommodations (or other schedule-related) requests in writing.
When talking to your manager, be honest but solution-focused: “I want to share some health information, so we can plan better for the next few months.” Tell them the basics about your treatment schedule, then propose solutions. For example, if you know certain days will be harder, suggest shifting your schedule around treatment. You could also offer to document processes, or train a team member to cover certain responsibilities temporarily. Set boundaries and establish expectations without apologizing: “I may need grace on tough days, but I’m committed to doing good work.”
Redefining your priorities
When everything feels urgent and overwhelming, you need a system that adds structure (and sanity); my lifeline became the Sunday Planning Ritual. Every Sunday evening, I chose my top three priorities for each day of the coming week. Not ten things — three.
Some days, one of my priorities was simply, “rest after treatment.” Other days, it was “1x1s with my team.” This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most with the energy you have.
The power of “good enough”
Learning that “good enough” is acceptable during treatment changed everything for me. I used to pride myself on perfectionism, but cancer taught me that perfectionism is a luxury I couldn’t afford — and didn’t need.
The report that’s 85% done and covers all the essential points? Send it. The takeout dinner instead of homemade? Your family will still be grateful (and full). The meeting where you asked someone in your team to step in for you, because you didn’t have the energy? That’s trust and delegation. It’s been said often, but perfect really is the enemy of done.
Managing your energy strategically
Track your energy for one week, noting when you feel most alert and what drains you. What times of day or the week do you feel the most able to take on new tasks? Then treat your energy like money in a bank account: Plan important tasks when you can “afford” the energy, budget in recovery time around treatments, and group similar tasks together to spend your energy efficiently. If fatigue tends to hit in the afternoons, aim to focus on deep work in the mornings and lighter tasks later in the day.
And when it comes to downtime, put 15-minute breaks in your online calendar and don’t ignore them. Use out-of-office messages, even when you’re technically available, to set boundaries and give yourself breathing space to focus or rest. Create a backup plan for days when you’re not at full strength. Thriving during treatment means working smarter, not harder.
Handing over tasks at work and home
Delegating isn’t giving up — it’s strategically smart. At work, identify what only you can do, versus the tasks you do out of habit but could be handed off to someone else. Can a colleague lead that weekly meeting? Can your team member direct that project?
At home, you may habitually do the grocery shopping, but your partner is certainly able to manage that; your teenager can do their own laundry. When friends ask, “What can I do to help?” let them. They can bring you dinner, or babysit while you get some rest or work done.
The guilt about asking for help and the need to “do it all”? That’s old programming. Replace it with gratitude and the knowledge that accepting help allows others to show their love.
Working with your team
Remember: You’re not a burden. You’re a professional managing a health condition.
If you lead a team, being open about what you’re going through, without sharing every medical detail, can strengthen your leadership.
If you’re a team member, communicate your needs with discretion and intention. Your manager needs planning information, and your wider team needs basic workflow details. So come with solutions that fit your treatment plan: “I’ll need someone to step in for me at this meeting, or I can reschedule it for the week after.”
Find your “work lifeline,” the person who understands your role best and can cover for you when needed. Document things more broadly — include details like who to contact, where key files are stored, and what deadlines are coming up — so your team can step in with confidence and keep things running smoothly while you rest or recover.
Your essential cancer toolkit
Your needs during treatment will be different than they were before, so keep your desk stocked with supplies like protein bars when you have no appetite for a heavier meal, electrolyte packets, peppermint tea for nausea, a warm sweater, and a notebook for when typing feels too hard. (I use voice-to-text frequently, too.) Setup inbox rules to highlight priority messages from your manager or team, while organizing lower-priority emails into folders for later review. Schedule automatic replies for the days you’ll be out of the office, directing recipients to your designated work lifeline.
During the workday, protect your mental health with small practices: deep breathing between meetings, keeping a gratitude journal, and stepping away from your screen for a few minutes of quiet reflection.
Finding joy, faith, and movement during cancer treatment
When you’re exhausted by managing work and health, joy needs to be intentional and accessible. I discovered that small, low-energy moments restored my spirit: listening to worship music while resting, watching funny dog videos on TikTok, reading mystery novels before bed.
Make a list of your “low-energy joy” activities — whether that’s getting a milkshake at the drive-thru or weeding your garden — and schedule them like appointments throughout the week. You need them as much as your treatment.
Faith became my anchor, and I started each morning with a simple prayer: “Lord, give me strength for today.” Some days, that was enough. Other days, I journaled. Your faith practice might look different, but connecting to something larger than yourself provides perspective when days feel overwhelming.
My daily walk around the neighborhood — a form of mindful movement — also became my warrior act against cancer. The distance and pace didn’t matter. What mattered was moving my body, breathing fresh air, and reminding myself that I’m still here, strong, and capable.
What thriving really means
Flourishing during cancer treatment doesn’t mean keeping up your old pace or pretending that everything is fine. It means creating a new definition of achievement that respects both your career goals and your health needs. You’re not just getting through this: You’re showing the world what it looks like to succeed on your own terms.
Thriving through a diagnosis and treatment while maintaining a career is only possible when you see work as one part of your journey, not something separate from it. Let yourself rest, ask for help, and take care of your body: It’s the foundation for everything else.
Michelle Moreno-Apolo is a director of software test engineering, a wife to her husband of 23 years, and mother to three teenage boys. In 2022, she was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma while serving as her family’s primary breadwinner. Through her platform, Living Pink to the Fullest, Michelle helps women navigate breast cancer by strengthening their mind, body, heart, spirit, and relationships — proving that you can thrive professionally and personally while facing one of life’s toughest challenges.
Need help navigating medical terminology and treatment options? Download my free resource, The Complete A to Z Guide to Understanding Breast Cancer, a comprehensive glossary that breaks down everything from diagnosis to treatment in plain language.
