Returning to work after cancer can be difficult but one former sufferer has set up a website to help others throught experience. Women's Editor Christen Pears reports.

CAROL Taylor had always been aware of the risks of cancer. Abnormal cells were found on her cervix before the birth of her first son, leading to annual smear tests. But in December 1998, she discovered a pea-sized lump in her right breast while taking a bath.

She thought little of it and decided to wait until the new year to have it checked by her doctor at the same time as her next smear. At the time, she was more worried about that than the lump but she was referred to hospital and told she had cancer. It was the beginning of what she describes as a four-year "rollercoaster".

At the time of her diagnosis, the 37-year-old mother-of-two and businesswoman was working full-time and studying for an MA at Durham University. Although she took time off following a lumpectomy and radiotherapy, she was keen to return to work as soon as possible.

"It was difficult returning to work and I had underestimated the reaction of other people towards me," she says.

"Some ignored me, obviously feeling uncomfortable and not knowing what to say. Others were superficially inquiring, offering words that had no meaning or context, and then there were my lifesavers, those people who just treated me the same as before, allowing me to talk about it when I wanted and not making me feel guilty for mentioning the C word - cancer."

Carol, who lives in Tynemouth, is a partner in a business consultancy. Her experiences in communicating with colleagues and fellow students and the difficulties she faced in getting them to understand how to relate to someone dealing with cancer prompted her to set up a website, www.workingaftercancer.co.uk.

It aims to encourage both employers and employees to understand and address some of the issue which can arise when a person diagnosed with cancer returns to the workplace. It provides a combination of inspiration and practical tips for employees returning to work after cancer and to help employers ensure the process is as painless as possible and has had more than 11,000 hits since it was launched in March.

It was through the web, during her own experience, that Carol first found the kind of support she was looking for. A bulletin board used mainly by women undergoing treatment in Nova Scotia proved a valuable outlet to talk openly about feelings and share tips with other cancer sufferers.

Now Carol hopes that visitors to her site will send in their own feedback, suggestions and stories to build a site that makes a positive contribution to the lives of those returning to work after cancer.

She says: "Having, and recovering from, cancer has been a personal rollercoaster for me. One of the hardest things I found was the barrier to open communication that the word cancer immediately creates. It was difficult returning to work and I underestimated the reaction of other people towards me.

"There was an assumption that, having completed treatment I must be feeling fantastic and this lack of understanding began to irritate me. That's when I realised more support and education was needed. If Working After Cancer helps just one person step off that rollercoaster and back into something approaching normality then I will have succeeded."

Carol argues that, despite advances in medical science and a greater awareness of the different forms of the disease, cancer is still a social taboo - a fact that can make life incredibly difficult for people returning to work and everyday life.

Working After Cancer is intended to help employees overcome the stigma when returning to work and create an environment where employer, employee and colleagues can talk openly about the situation.

Carol says: "Obviously there will be some people who will prefer not to talk about their experiences and they have an absolute right to their privacy. But I do know, having spoken to others in a similar position that many found it very difficult to return to work. What we need is a way to begin bringing cancer out of the closet and into conversation."

Visitors to Working After Cancer can read Carol's story in detail and contribute to a growing movement to bring greater awareness and understanding of what cancer really means to a sufferer.

You can visit the website at www.workingaftercancer.co.uk