School and Work
Returning to work or school, or seeking a new job or school program following cancer treatment is an important goal for many young adult cancer survivors.
Engaging in work and educational activities are meaningful life roles that provide a sense of self-identity, stability, daily structure and offer a network of social support. Returning to work or school following treatment can provide a sense of normalcy and can have a positive impact on your self-confidence and self-image.
People treated for cancer sometimes have new challenges when they return to school or work. You may notice new difficulties with returning to school or work because of:
- side effects of cancer or cancer treatment
- fatigue (feeling very tired) and changes in your sleep patterns
- pain
- stress and anxiety
- changes in how you can think and focus (cancer-related "brain fog")
Your health care team has prepared tips and resources that can make your return to school or work easier. The tips and resources may be most helpful if you are a young adult cancer survivor (someone under age 40), but anyone can use this information to help them adjust to everyday life after cancer treatment.
Online Schools and Career Building Programs
High Schools
Independent Learning Centre
The Independent Learning Centre offers Ontario credit courses in English and French for Grades 9-12 as well as the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and the GED Testing program.
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Virtual High School
Virtual High School (VHS) provides classes that are available 24 hours a day. VHS offers about 71 high school courses for selections and allows students to learn at their own pace and also in the process foster student initiative, self-motivation, self advocation, and event management. The only restriction is that they must complete the course within 18 months.
Courses available in: Business, French, Applied Science, Academic Science, Canadian History, eCo-op, Calculus and Vectors, etc.
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Colleges & Universities
OntarioLearn.com
A partnership of 24 Ontario community colleges where you can search through a course inventory to find the course. To enrol in an OntarioLearn course, students must register through one of the partner colleges.
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Contact North
A 24/7 gateway that provides easy and quick access in English and French for up-to-date information on more than 18,000 courses and 1000 programs available online at Ontario’s colleges, universities, literacy and other training providers.
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Career Building Programs
Canada's Centre for Distance Education
Provides a variety of online college courses that can help advance your career or help you gain professional training and certification from the comfort of your own home. Most programs can be completed within 1 year if you commit just 20 hours per week.
Read more about Canada's Centre for Distance Education (opens in new window) »
Scholarships & Bursaries
The Survivor Scholarship Program
The Childhood Cancer Canada Scholarship Program is open to young adult cancer survivors. Applications open annually on March 1st and close on April 30th for both the $1500 general scholarship and the $5000 Teva Canada Scholarship for those pursuing education in the medical, health and pharmaceutical fields.
Read more about The Survivor Scholarship Program (opens in new window) »
Emmy Duff Scholarship
A $2,000 scholarship open to Canadian students who have had treatment or are currently being treated for cancer and are residing in Canada.
Read more about the Emmy Duff Scholarship (opens in new window) »
Pink Pearl Scholarship
A $1,000 scholarship granted to a Canadian woman who has been diagnosed with cancer. You must be diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 18 to 40, attending post-secondary education as a part-time or fill-time student, be involved in extracurricular activities and have a minimum grade average of 65%. It is also an asset if you have attended one or more Pink Pearl programs/events.
Read more about the Pink Pearl Scholarship (opens in new window)
Brain Tumour Youth Education Award
Survivors of a pediatric brain tumour (diagnosed with a brain tumour before the age of 25), between the ages of 16 and 30, who are pursuing post-secondary education. The aim of the program is to help young brain tumour survivors achieve their dreams through post-secondary education. Scholarship amount to be announced.
Read more about the Brain Tumour Youth Education Award (opens in new window)
Easter Seals Ontario Post-Secondary Scholarships
Easter Seals Ontario Post-Secondary Scholarships for 2023-2024 open in February 2023. Eligible applicants must have a physical disability that impacts their mobility. Scholarship amount to be announced.
Read more about the Easter Seals Ontario Post-Secondary Scholarships (opens in new window) »
The Terry Fox Humanitarian Award
Providing university scholarships to students who exemplify the humanitarian ideals of Terry Fox by volunteering and giving back to their communities. A stipend of $7,000 is issued directly to the institution each year to a maximum amount of $28,000.
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Roots for Youth
A bursary that helps youth who are struggling due to difficult family or financial situations, or a loss/tragedy in the family, to get a post-secondary education. The foundation will provide one or more bursaries each year to qualifying students who are planning to attend or are enrolled in a post-secondary institution full-time in the coming year. The bursary(s) will be determined each spring and be paid out to assist with the fall and winter semesters.
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Shine Bright Bursaries
$1000 bursaries for post-secondary education for childhood cancer survivors in Northern Ontario, their siblings and siblings of children who have succumbed to cancer are available.
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Work & Employment Support Services
Career Edge
An internship program that seeks to place recent graduates and/or graduates with a disability in paid internships relevant to their field of interest. Internships are 6 months to 1 year in duration.
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Youth Employment Service (YES)
A government funded service that provides a variety of programs and supports for young adults looking for work. Includes a variety of workshops, one-on-one counselling and job development on a client’s behalf. Program offers wage subsidies to employers who hire clients from the program.
Read more about Youth Employment Service (YES) (opens in new window) »
Youth Employment Service (YES) - YESability
A subset of the Youth Employment Service, YESAbility provides individualized action planning, career counselling, specialized job development, labour market information, work placement opportunities, accommodation support, and on-the-job coaching to individuals experiencing any physical or cognitive disability.
Read more about Youth Employment Service (YES) - YESability (opens in new window) »
Return to Work & Assistance Programs
POGO School and Work Transitions Program
The POGO Transitions Program facilitates a smoother transition from high school to appropriate school and work opportunities for survivors of brain tumours or other childhood cancers.
Read more about the POGO School and Work Transitions Program (opens in new window) »
Cancer Rehabilitation and Survivorship Program
The Cancer Rehabilitation and Survivorship (CRS) Program at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre provides one-on-one support for preparing for and navigating returning to work after cancer. Support typically includes 2-3 meetings with an occupational therapist to learn about common work-related challenges caused by cancer, and how to manage these. Other topics covered include how to prepare to return to work, how to communicate with your manager and co-workers, and relevant legislation that applies to returning to work after an illness.
CRS also offers similar support for navigating and preparing to return to school after cancer.
Your oncologist from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre can refer you to the program by filling in the
CRS Program referral form (PDF, opens in new window) »
Call the CRS Program at 416-946-4501 ext. 2363 with any questions, or visit
Cancer Rehab and Survivorship Program.
Cancer and Work website
The Cancer and Work website was designed to address the unique needs of cancer survivors with returning, remaining, changing work or looking for work after a diagnosis of cancer. The website provides newly created information, resources, and interactive tools for cancer survivors, healthcare providers, employers, and highlights helpful information from across the globe.
Visit the
Cancer and Work website »
Cancer and Careers
Cancer and Careers empowers and educates people with cancer to thrive in their workplace, by providing expert advice, interactive tools and educational events.
Visit the
Careers and Cancer website »
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