Practicing Corporate Compassion: When an Employee Has Stage IV Cancer

In an instant, the life of your employee can dramatically change. And from that moment on, how you handle everything as their employer and teammate is critically important.

Back in January 2017, a beloved Fool’s life was significantly altered. While on holiday in Europe, Mike King, a writer and analyst for Motley Fool Australia, developed a cough that just wouldn’t go away. A pain in his chest soon followed. Fearing the worst, he told his partner he thought he might have lung cancer. That same month, his doctors made a startling discovery.

“My local general practitioner referred me to a thoracic specialist, and I had a CT scan, which confirmed that I have tumors in my chest of an unknown variety. A PET scan revealed that whatever was in my chest had also spread to my brain, with the discovery of several tumors including two the size of golf balls. Next up was a bronchoscopy and an MRI scan on my head, for which I was admitted to the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane on January 25.”

Results came back: Mike was diagnosed with melanoma.

He would need to have radiotherapy to deal with the tumors in his brain, followed by immunotherapy to treat the melanoma throughout his body.

The weeks and months that followed have been tough for Mike, mentally, emotionally, and physically. He underwent 10 consecutive days of radiotherapy on his brain, all while taking steroids to reduce the swelling from the tumors.

His appetite disappeared. His strength dissipated. 

Immediately following the radiotherapy, Mike started an immunotherapy drug treatment, pembrolizumab (also known as Keytruda). The drug fights cancer by blocking a protective mechanism on cancer cells, which allows the immune system to detect and destroy the cancer cells.

“This treatment occurs every three weeks and involves the drug being intravenously delivered into my bloodstream over 30 minutes. At this stage, there's no end date set; it depends on how the tumors respond to the treatment. So far, the drug seems to be working, with the tumors not growing and no new tumors developing. But my oncologist wasn't happy with my last scans, suggesting that while the tumors appear to be shrinking, it's much slower than he expected. That could mean that some of the cancer cells have become resistant to the Keytruda.

“Over this time, my health appears to be heading back to normal. My side effects have been muted, with some headaches and occasional nausea, although I have tablets to help with that too. The one constant is that I feel tired almost constantly – despite sleeping well most nights.”

Employer Support

At times like this, you feel helpless as an employer and a friend -- even more so if you're halfway around the world. You wonder if there's anything you can do or say to stop the illness. There isn't. But there are numerous ways to help.

“Throughout all this, The Motley Fool has been hugely supportive. Motley Fool AU’s General Manager Bruce Jackson and his wife Lynette drove up from the Gold Coast to visit me in hospital in Brisbane one evening. I was told to concentrate on getting better and coping with the melanoma, and not to worry too much about writing any articles. That was a huge relief, as most days I'd spend in bed resting or asleep.”

Mike's team in Australia is incredible.  

His partner Chantal’s employer, Thiess, a global mining company, has also helped tremendously during this period. As Mike’s caretaker, Chantal was given as much time off as she needed to take him to and from appointments and generally look after him. Thiess also arranged for a housecleaner to come once a week and for gardeners to take care of their yard regularly.

Meanwhile, Mike can devote his energy to battling the disease.

What You Can Do as an Employer, Colleague, and Friend:

·      Allow for flexible work arrangements, whether it means permitting people to work from home or letting them reduce their hours.

·      Allocate responsibilities to teammates to alleviate workload.

·      Make counseling services available, as well as employee assistance programs.

·      Approach each situation with empathy, understanding, and an open heart, recognizing that work is a small part of a big life.

These cost little to implement. And they reinforce just how much your work and company matter, since they acknowledge the significance of every person living their life to the fullest.

 “When I hear stories about people in a similar position as me but without the support of their workplace or partners, I feel very lucky and honored.”

Mike, we're rooting for you every day. Thank you for all you have done and are doing for The Motley Fool and our members. You live up to our values and pursue our purpose to the extreme. We send our love and appreciation, to you, Chantal, and your family.