IES’ Stephen Bevan joins Working With Cancer in a voluntary capacity to raise awareness of working during and after cancer

Press Releases

17 Sep 2019

Stephen Bevan from the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) has become an Ambassador for Working With Cancer, the social enterprise which helps people affected by cancer to manage work, return to work or find work during and after cancer treatment.

Stephen will be talking about Working With Cancer at events, in the press and on social media. He will also be facilitating joint projects between IES and Working With Cancer. Stephen will highlight the work the organisation does alongside the benefits of staying in work during and after treatment, if the employee wishes and is able to do that. He will be able to share his own experiences, having recently finished treatment for oesophageal cancer.

Stephen Bevan said: “Cancer survival rates are increasing but the number of people returning to work after cancer treatment is not, and this needs to be addressed. Working With Cancer does such important work, helping people who want to keep working, earning and retaining a vital thread of normality during a potentially life changing diagnosis. I know from my own experience just how important this is, and alongside my role as Head of Research Development at IES I’m going to help Working With Cancer raise awareness of what is possible during and after treatment.”

Working With Cancer provides coaching, training and consultancy for employers to help them offer the best support to employees undergoing cancer treatment. Alongside this, the organisation offers one-to-one coaching and advice to cancer patients, their partners and carers on how to manage work and cancer, as well as returning to work and finding employment after treatment.

“Stephen has dedicated much of his working life to workforce health and wellbeing and studying the impact of chronic illness on productivity. The combination of his professional and recent personal experience makes him very well qualified to talk about the challenges and benefits of working during and/or after cancer treatment. It’s about giving people choices based on a better understanding of what is possible” said Barbara Wilson, founder and director of Working With Cancer. “We are delighted to have Stephen join us as an Ambassador, so he can spread the word and help more people to access our services.”

According to Macmillan Cancer Support, 900,000 people of working age are currently living with cancer in the UK. Although 80% of people who were working when diagnosed with cancer thought it important to continue working, 47% had to give up work or change their roles as a result of their diagnosis.

“As rates of cancer rise, so more employers will have to manage people during diagnosis and treatment,” continued Barbara Wilson. “This must be managed correctly, but it can involve some difficult conversations and at Working With Cancer, we can help with both sides of the discussion. Stephen is well connected to the business and HR world and with his support we’ll be able to reach a much wider audience, and ultimately help more people to continue working, if they wish to.”

ENDS

www.workingwithcancer.co.uk

For media enquiries, please contact Lisa Gibson at lisagibsoncomms@gmail.com, or 07958 586919.

About the Institute for Employment Studies (IES)

IES is an independent, apolitical, international centre of research and consultancy in public employment policy and HR management. It works closely with employers in all sectors, government departments, agencies, professional bodies and associations. IES is a focus of knowledge and practical experience in employment and training policy, the operation of labour markets, and HR planning and development. IES is a not-for-profit organisation.

IES tweets from @EmploymtStudies

About Stephen Bevan

Stephen Bevan is head of HR Research Development at IES with responsibility for developing innovative new projects and programmes with IES partners and other collaborators. Stephen returned to IES in April 2016 after spending 15 years as Director of Research and Managing Director at The Work Foundation.

Stephen tweets from @StephenBevan