Our corporate program can provide you with support along with our healthcare professionals.

Services and tools for you and your employees

Every day, 18 Quebecers receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer. They are fathers, brothers, spouses, friends, teammates, colleagues… Our corporate program is designed to inform and raise awareness among your employees about the symptoms, risks, and prevention methods of prostate cancer. It also aims to assist the employer in better managing the impacts of this disease.

When an employee is suffering from cancer, the company plays a key role. This program, offered free of charge by PROCURE, will enable all your employees, managers, or supervisors to have a better understanding of prostate cancer, to be better equipped to face it, and to learn more about the resources available to them.

Three options for awareness and information for your company

• Prostate cancer information session at the workplace
• Distribution of information to employees – PROCURE’s patient newsletter, our information brochures, promotion of our support line
• On-site and/or teleconference consulting service for the employer

RESERVE YOUR INFORMATION SESSION!

How to take advantage of our program?

Prostate cancer in brief

• Most common among men
• Affects men aged 50 and over mostly
• Affects men aged 45 and over if there are risk factors
• Increasing among younger men (20 to 40 years old)
• No symptoms at the beginning
• Curable when detected early versus 30% survival if metastasized

Opt for the free information session

For many men, prostate cancer is still a taboo disease. Our information sessions will allow your employees and you, the employer, to better understand and demystify aspects of this disease. We can adapt and personalize the information session according to your needs: duration, location, and content.

Topics covered

• Role of the prostate and related diseases
• Risk factors and prevention of cancer
• When and why to screen

Duration and operation

• Variable duration according to needs (30 minutes to 1 hour)
• On-site or remote
• Plan for 3 weeks of promotion (materials provided)

Benefits

For your employees – Recognition:

• Risk factors
• Behaviors to adopt to help prevent it
• Importance of healthy health management
• Why and when to screen

For your company:

• Positive social impact
• Employer who cares about the health of its employees, supported by PROCURE’s offer of services and support
• Initiative that can be part of the health and well-being strategy and/or employee retention strategy

Financially

• Economic impact on your insurance based on early or late screening and treatments. E.g.:
• Active surveillance = Absenteeism 1 day every 3 months
• Standard Surgery and Radiotherapy = 6 to 12 weeks of recovery
• Standard Hormone Therapy (HT) = $4,500 annually
• HT @ New Generation Hormone Therapy (NGHT) = $50,000/year

RESERVE YOUR INFORMATION SESSION!

When an employee suffers from cancer, their superior plays a key role. Both parties, the employer and the employee, can benefit from identifying the needs of the sick employee and effectively managing the challenges related to their position. Therefore, you have a crucial role to play as an employer.

The truth is that understanding the disease and dealing with the news of a cancer diagnosis in one of our employees can be as destabilizing for you as it is for your employee. In fact, your employee is probably mortified at the thought of telling you, not yet processing the blow they’ve just received. Imagine their emotions and the range of feelings, worries, and concerns rushing through their mind, their partner’s mind, within their family… and, not forgetting, within yours. It’s a tough blow.

To assist you, here’s a brief overview of what to consider when one of our employees informs us of their diagnosis. And know that you are not alone. We are here for you at 1-855-899-2873.

Communication

Let your employee choose the timing of the conversation. If you feel they’re hesitant to approach you, you can take the initiative.

• Be attentive and make it clear to the employee that you may not have all the answers or solutions at hand. Allow yourself time for reflection if needed.
• Ask questions and observe your employee’s reaction. If they’re uncomfortable answering, don’t press.
• Let them know that you’re available as a listener.
• If your employee is on sick leave, discuss with them whether they want to stay informed about work or prefer not to be.
• Never discuss an employee’s health status without their permission.

If the employee with cancer wants to openly discuss their situation within the team, discuss with the team the best timing.

Your support

Be flexible with your employee. Allow them to modify their working hours if necessary. They may have medical appointments or need to reduce their hours.

• If the employee wants to continue working during their treatment, try to adjust their workload as needed.
• Many patients would like to take advantage of a part-time therapeutic schedule. See if you can offer this option to your employee upon their return.

Emotions to manage

The announcement of cancer can have emotional repercussions on the affected person, as well as on their colleagues and on you as the employer. Although patience and empathy are appropriate in this situation, be mindful of any negative behavior within the team.

• Ensure that relationships are as normal and balanced as possible and encourage good communication between the sick employee and their colleagues.
• Also, show interest in your employees’ concerns.

Understanding the importance of work

For various reasons, it is important for most people with cancer to be able to continue working.

• Work can provide a sense of routine or a bit of “normalcy” for them.
• Work can also give them a sense of “control.”
• For financial reasons, the employee cannot afford to lose their job.

Work climate among colleagues

An employee with cancer can also have an impact on other employees. They may be upset and unsure how to react. They may also feel pressure due to the absences of the sick colleague, which result in an increase in their workload.

• Discuss the situation with your team and ask your employees if they can handle the extra workload due to the sick colleague’s absences.
• Faced with this exceptional situation, do you have the opportunity to take measures to reduce the workload within the team? Asking the question is answering it.

Have you never had to deal with an employee with cancer? We have provided you with a guide of your responsibilities as an employer—from understanding the concerns of your employees to the roles of your executives, managers, or human resources department. And remember, you are not alone. We are here for you at 1-855-899-2873.

Cancer is different for everyone

• Some needs, such as empathy, are very common in patients.
• The need for communication with the company can vary greatly from one person to the next.
• Do not forget that each person, supervisor or co‑worker, reacts differently to illness.
• Often, behind a patient there is a caregiver. Do not forget this!

Concerns of your employees and their loved ones

• Financial situation (difficulties)
• Physical and psychological consequences
• Return to and retention in the labour market
• Ongoing functional limitations
• Permanent disability for an undetermined period

We have identified three stages to guide you

Stage 1 – Diagnosis, the announcement of cancer, and your role

“When I told people about my cancer, I was afraid of how they would react and I felt guilty for dropping the workload on my colleagues. I need to be reassured, supported, and heard.”

Supervisor and co‑workers

• Take the time to think about the situation
• Seek advice from HR if necessary
• Empathy = support and listening
• Respecting his wishes and privacy: what can be said, to whom, and how

Supervisor and HR

• Reassure the employee of their place in the company
• Adopt a common strategy to manage the situation with HR to avoid confusion

PROCURE support

• Check out PROCURE and call 1 855 899-2873
• Book a confidential meeting with one of our in‑house nurses specializing in uro‑oncology

Stage 2 – Cancer treatments and your role

“While I am away I still need to be reassured. I appreciate getting news and the fact that I am still considered to be an employee. Being able to continue working helps me maintain a professional identity and social ties.”

HR, supervisor, and co‑workers

• Getting news in a coordinated manner
• Maintaining the link between employee and company
• Relieving some of his workload by sharing some of the work with his colleagues or with his replacement
• Maintaining clear communication about the situation (work is not an obligation)

If the employee chooses to work, strike a balance between an empathetic and normal attitude. Having some flexibility in dealing with unforeseen medical issues and meeting for periodic assessments could help.

Stage 3 – Professional reintegration

“When I get back, I need to see that my company has prepared for my gradual return. I would appreciate a welcome‑back meeting on my first day. It is also important to me that people understand that some symptoms like fatigue and anxiety can persist long after treatment is complete.”

HR and supervisor

• Allow for a gradual return to work.
• Organize a welcome‑back meeting—show that you are interested in their well‑being.
• Keep in mind that the employee could be prone to fatigue and possible anxiety for a while.
• Offer a flexible work schedule if possible.
• Talk to the person if you notice that he is overcome with fear, both physically and mentally, of being discriminated against and/or of losing his job.
• Schedule meetings for periodic assessments.
• Be as understanding as possible of changes in attitude towards work and show flexibility
• Emphasize the balance between empathetic and normal attitudes.

Even if the treatment is over, there may be other issues that need to be addressed such as adapting to long‑term side effects, marital life, and long‑term plans. The family doctor, health professionals, you, and your employer, play a key role in the care of patients and their reintegration into the workplace.