When Jemil Butt learnt he had lymphoma he focused on his treatment and tried to forget about work. But he found solitude did not suit him. He missed the office where he worked as a project manager — and not having tasks to distract him made him feel worse. “I made a decision early on that, for me, the measure of being normal again is my ability to do my job,” he says.
Mr Butt was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. Despite a relapse in 2016 and a stem-cell transplant last year, the 36-year-old, who works for AXA Insurance in the UK, says that having things other than hospital appointments in his diary is part of his recovery.
He enjoys office life, but has had to make adjustments because of his impaired immune system. Before his illness he gave germs little thought. Now he avoids handshakes and desk-sharing, and carries antiseptic wipes to clean door handles. “It sounds a bit OCD, and probably is, but psychologically it’s a win, and to be honest in between treatments I don’t often go sick.”