Karen’s Story
Cancer Coach Program Participant
Federal Government Employee
There is never a right time to be told you have a cancer diagnosis and for Karen, this came after an accident and subsequent health scans picked up a thyroid cancer diagnosis. Before joining the Cancer Coach program, Karen was juggling full-time work commitments, additional study and a cancer diagnosis which had metastasised, leaving her feeling overwhelmed both mentally and physically.
“I saw the cancer coach program was on offer through my work intranet portal and thought it made perfect sense for my situation”. Shortly after registering her details, Karen was phoned by her health coach Linda and ready to start the 12 week program.
The program gave Karen access to a dedicated health coach, educational resources and the CancerAid app by Osara Health.
“My health coach understood exactly what I was going through and provided a wealth of resources on how to manage my stress, as well as other tips on food and exercise that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Linda was so down to earth and knowledgeable about every aspect of a cancer diagnosis.”
Dealing with the severity of a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, and thankfully for Karen the program support available also allowed her to navigate the decision to pause her additional studies and take leave from work, allowing her to completely focus on her health.
Thanks to this program, Karen has felt properly supported by her workplace while navigating a cancer diagnosis and has even provided her praise back to the executive management team.
“You can’t put a price on the support this program offers employees when dealing with the associated stress of a cancer diagnosis but also how to navigate work commitments”.
Karen is about to start her radiation program and thanks to the Osara Health Coach program, feels more equipped and ready for her journey to remission.