I was fortunate enough to be able to take a leave from work, but I know not everybody is able to do so. The financial losses can be significant. I do think that's important to consider—and that there are supports in place for people that they don't necessarily have to seek out.
When you're going through a cancer diagnosis, you are dealing with so much. For me, mentally, I was in survivor mode, looking at each treatment one step at a time, one day at a time, dealing with side effects, etc. What I've noticed is that I put the emotional aspect on hold—subconsciously, to be honest. Now that I have finished my active treatment, I'm trying to deal with lots of the emotions that will continue to affect me.
Social workers and therapists are very important. Again, we can't expect everyone to have to seek out those people. As Ms. MacDonald said, that should be available. It is available in the hospitals, but you do have to make an appointment or try to navigate the system. Some kind of health care coordinator who could help patients with that would be very helpful.