Exercise and Cancer: Why It’s Especially Important at This Time

Diederik Visser October 14, 2025 Diederik Visser October 14, 2025

Exercise and Cancer: Why It’s Especially Important at This Time

Read more

Mauro strengthens Advisory Board with two new members: Maaike Hoogenboom and Harry Verbunt

Diederik Visser October 11, 2025 Diederik Visser October 11, 2025

Mauro strengthens Advisory Board with two new members: Maaike Hoogenboom and Harry Verbunt

Read more

Mauro Medical Specialists welcomes urologist Dr. Peter Vegt

Diederik Visser September 26, 2025 Diederik Visser September 26, 2025

Mauro Medical Specialists welcomes urologist Dr. Peter Vegt

Read more

Should hormone therapy be used for prostate cancer?

L Bok September 12, 2025 L Bok September 12, 2025

Should hormone therapy be used for prostate cancer?

Read more

Home Care for Cancer Patients

Luca Ciappa September 3, 2025 Luca Ciappa September 3, 2025

Home Care for Cancer Patients

Read more

How long can you live with lung cancer?

Luca Ciappa September 2, 2025 Luca Ciappa September 2, 2025

How long can you live with lung cancer?

Read more

Is cancer a chronic disease?

Luca Ciappa September 1, 2025 Luca Ciappa September 1, 2025

Is cancer a chronic disease?

Read more

Van ziekte naar gezondheid: de kracht van leefstijl bij kanker en herstel

Diederik Visser 13-08-2025 Diederik Visser 13-08-2025

Van ziekte naar gezondheid: de kracht van leefstijl bij kanker en herstel

Read more

Second opinion bij kanker, waarom persoonlijke begeleiding het verschil maakt

Diederik Visser 11-08-2025 Diederik Visser 11-08-2025

Second opinion bij kanker, waarom persoonlijke begeleiding het verschil maakt

Read more

Hoe Mauro Medisch Specialisten jou begeleidt bij het maken van moeilijke keuzes bij kanker

Diederik Visser 10-08-2025 Diederik Visser 10-08-2025

Hoe Mauro Medisch Specialisten jou begeleidt bij het maken van moeilijke keuzes bij kanker

Read more

Longkanker stadium 3, wat betekent deze fase en wat kun je verwachten

L Bok 05-08-2025 L Bok 05-08-2025

Longkanker stadium 3, wat betekent deze fase en wat kun je verwachten

Read more

Waarom val je af bij kanker

Luca Ciappa 04-08-2025 Luca Ciappa 04-08-2025

Waarom val je af bij kanker

Read more

7 soorten kanker door alcohol, inzicht voor uw gezondheid

Diederik Visser 29-07-2025 Diederik Visser 29-07-2025

7 soorten kanker door alcohol, inzicht voor uw gezondheid

Read more

Is kanker erfelijk?

Diederik Visser 22-07-2025 Diederik Visser 22-07-2025

Is kanker erfelijk?

Specialisten Leonard en Diederik

Read more

Wat zijn de eerste tekenen van kanker?

Diederik Visser 22-07-2025 Diederik Visser 22-07-2025

Wat zijn de eerste tekenen van kanker?

Read more

Is kanker besmettelijk?

Diederik Visser 22-07-2025 Diederik Visser 22-07-2025

Is kanker besmettelijk?

Read more

The Most Common Types of Cancer

Diederik Visser 22-07-2025 Diederik Visser 22-07-2025

The Most Common Types of Cancer

Read more

Uw eigen oncoloog aan huis

Diederik Visser 17-07-2025 Diederik Visser 17-07-2025

Uw eigen oncoloog aan huis

Oprichters Leonard en Diederik

Read more

Is kanker besmettelijk via bloed?

Luca Ciappa 03-07-2025 Luca Ciappa 03-07-2025

Is kanker besmettelijk via bloed?

Read more

Is kanker in bloed te zien?

Luca Ciappa 03-06-2025 Luca Ciappa 03-06-2025

Is kanker in bloed te zien?

Read more

How good employer practices, medical guidance, and sustainable employability converge

When an employee is diagnosed with cancer – or when cancer affects a loved one – good employer practices extend beyond medical treatment and absence policies. It involves maintaining control, mental resilience, quality of life, and sustainable employability.

More and more organizations are encountering this. Not as an exceptional situation, but as a structural issue that is both human and business-critical.

Cancer in the workplace: no longer an exception

Each year, cancer affects tens of thousands of people of working age in the Netherlands. This makes it a reality within organizations of all sizes.

Approximately 40% of all cancer diagnoses occur within working age
The average duration of absence due to cancer is between 10 and 18 months
Approximately 75% of employees return to work two years after diagnosis, often in an adjusted capacity
Employees with cancer do not automatically qualify for WIA benefits, which increases uncertainty
The likelihood of unemployment after cancer is approximately 37% higher

For employers, the direct and indirect costs of long-term absence can quickly amount to €100,000 or more per employee, depending on their role, salary, and replacement impact. Cancer is therefore not an individual problem, but an organizational issue.

When absence becomes business-critical: key positions

For employees in key positions – such as executives, senior professionals, IT architects, specialists, or commercial leaders – the impact of illness is rarely linear.

Absence in these roles often leads to:

delays in strategic projects
loss of knowledge, cohesion, and decision-making power
additional pressure on colleagues and management
reduced organizational agility

The true costs are often not fully visible but manifest as missed opportunities, delayed decision-making, and uncertainty. It is precisely in these areas that prolonged medical and mental uncertainty can have far-reaching business consequences.

The most vulnerable phase lies outside the hospital

Oncological care in the Netherlands is of a high standard. However, many employees find that the heaviest burden does not arise during consultations, but between consultations.

During this phase:

treatment options and advice need to be interpreted
side effects and consequences become noticeable
medical choices directly impact work, income, and future

A large portion of employees do not discuss the implications for work with their treatment team. This uncertainty often remains unaddressed but significantly impacts recovery, capacity, and the duration of absence.

Common Doubts Among Employees with Cancer

Employees with cancer often experience a process of doubt and inner turmoil parallel to their medical journey. These doubts largely occur outside the consultation room but significantly influence their functioning.

Common questions include:

Am I making the right treatment choice?
What does this mean for my future and quality of life?
Is continuing to work helpful or harmful?
Is there sufficient opportunity to discuss this with my doctor?
How open should I be with my employer?
What if I regret my choices later?

When these doubts remain unaddressed, they can lead to mental strain, procrastination, and delayed recovery – with direct consequences for employability.

Why Sound Medical Decision-Making Provides Peace of Mind

Medical decision-making in cancer is rarely straightforward. Often there are:

multiple treatment paths
varying side effects and long-term effects
consequences for quality of life and work capacity

By explicitly addressing doubts and clearly explaining medical choices, decision quality is achieved. And decision quality provides peace of mind.
Peace of mind is an essential condition for recovery, focus, and sustainable employability, especially for employees with significant responsibilities.

Where Absenteeism Support Ends

HR professionals, company doctors, and managers play a crucial role in:

absenteeism and reintegration
employment law frameworks
psychosocial support

What they – rightly – cannot assume is:

medical interpretation
contributing to complex treatment choices
providing guidance for oncology treatment pathways

This creates a gap between medical care and employer responsibility.

The Role of Mauro

Mauro Medical Specialists operates alongside and in connection with regular healthcare. We do not provide treatment ourselves, but offer independent medical guidance for employees and their families.

This means: providing support with decisions, clarity, and coherence, without any conflict of interest or medical responsibility on the part of the employer.

What Mauro Specifically Does

Independent Medical Guidance

Mauro guides employees by:

carefully analyzing and interpreting medical information
continuously contributing to treatment decisions
maintaining an overview and coherence regarding treatment options and studies (domestic and international)
preparing for discussions with treating physicians
supporting the balance between treatment, work, energy, and private life

This guidance is ongoing, personal, and adapts to the employee's journey and capacity.

Expertise and Network

Mauro works with:

experienced oncologists and lifestyle physicians, active in Dutch hospitals
scientific advisors with up-to-date knowledge of guidelines and studies
an (inter)national network of expertise

Each client has one dedicated oncologist as a coordinator, who oversees the overall progress and anticipates changes.

What This Delivers for Employers

Employers experience:

less stress and uncertainty for employees
more predictable recovery
less extensive or prolonged absenteeism
greater continuity in key positions

Not by pressuring a return to work, but by strengthening control over health and decision-making.

Vacancies

Terms and Conditions

Complaints and Disputes

Privacy

Maliestraat 3

3581 SH Utrecht

030 - 2072176

info@mauromedisch.nl