Cancer doesn’t just hit your body. It hits your identity, your routine, and your sense of purpose. And for a lot of men, it hits one of the biggest pillars in our lives: our work.

In this episode, I talk with my friend Jay Abramovitch about what happens when cancer derails your career. Jay was 36, in a leadership role, building a life with his wife, when a stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis changed everything. He kept working through treatment to hold onto normalcy.

But when treatment ended, that’s when the real reckoning began. The structure was gone, and he was left asking: Who am I now, and what do I want my life to look like?

What followed wasn’t a clean pivot. It was a couple years of feeling lost, trying different paths, and redefining his priorities — health, family, and purpose. Today, Jay works as a family support specialist helping people through loss. It’s not where he started, but it’s exactly where his experience led him.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Cancer disrupts identity, not just health
2. The hardest part can come after treatment ends
3. Work can provide purpose — but also mask what’s really happening
4. Priorities shift: time, stress, and family take center stage
5. Career reinvention is messy and takes time
6. There’s no single “right” way back to work
7. Sometimes growth means moving toward what scares you

Organizations referenced in this episode

St John Ambulance

Ottawa Cancer Foundation

CCRAN

Colorectal Cancer Canada

Resources for navigating work, legal rights, and finances:

Cancer and Careers (workplace rights, job search, and career support during cancer)

Cancer Legal Resource Center (free legal help + workplace rights)

Triage Cancer (practical guidance on work, insurance, finances)

Patient Advocate Foundation (case management + job/insurance support)

CancerCare (counseling + workplace resources)

National Cancer Legal Services Network (connects you to legal help)

SPONSOR SHOUT OUT!

I want to thank my sponsor for this episode, Pfizer.

This Is Living with Cancer™ is a free online resource developed by Pfizer Oncology for all people​ living with cancer, regardless of age, income, race, location, cancer type, or stage of disease. This​ comprehensive program is available to anyone in the US, whether they’re on a Pfizer​ treatment or not, with a growing focus on those facing challenges accessing care.

Visit ThisIsLivingWithCancer.com to learn more.

I can't make this podcast happen without sponsors that believe in storytelling and the elevation of real patient voices.

All views are my own, and the opinions expressed in this show do not necessarily reflect the views or endorsements of our sponsors.

Bringing Laughter to #cancerland

Daniel G. Garza continues to cut up cancer audiences and other health audiences with his hilarious takes on the edgiest topics. He is fearless, relatable, and a healer at heart.

Daniel is an anal cancer and HIV survivor whose lived experience fuels his mission to uplift and educate others.

As the founder of LilMesican Productions Inc., Daniel creates spaces for storytelling, coaching, and advocacy, especially for Latinx, LGBTQIA2S, and health-challenged communities.

His work with Cheeky Charity raises awareness of anal and colorectal cancer, and his background as a Reiki Master, Transpersonal Coach, and comedian allows him to blend healing and humor in transformative ways. Through workshops, public speaking, and creative media, Daniel inspires others to reclaim their dignity, embrace their power, and live with purpose.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamdanielggarza/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamdanielggarza_

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LilMesican

SPONSOR SHOUT OUT!

I want to thank my sponsor for this episode, Pfizer.

This Is Living with Cancer™ is a free online resource developed by Pfizer Oncology for all people​ living with cancer, regardless of age, income, race, location, cancer type, or stage of disease. This​ comprehensive program is available to anyone in the US, whether they’re on a Pfizer​ treatment or not, with a growing focus on those facing challenges accessing care.

Visit ThisIsLivingWithCancer.com to learn more.

I can't make this podcast happen without sponsors that believe in storytelling and the elevation of real patient voices.

All views are my own, and the opinions expressed in this show do not necessarily reflect the views or endorsements of our sponsors.

After a 693-day hiatus, the Man Up to Cancer Podcast is back!

Join me and my right hand man in the movement to change the way men go through cancer, Joe Bullock.

In this relaunch episode, Joe and I talk about the early development of Man Up to Cancer, our priorities for 2026, and our friendship that has sustained us over the past six years of doing this work together.

You will hear shout-outs to Colontown, Colorectal Cancer Alliance, Jack's Caregiver Coalition, Cancer and Careers, and Duke's Mayo.

And of course, Joe does not escape the Gauntlet of Random Questions!

You'll learn which fast food chain mascots would win a brawl (hint: It's not Ronald McDonald).

*One correction: Alex Pabon was a chef for a U.S. Army general, but not a "five-star" general. The point Joe was making remains 100 percent valid.

Thanks to our sponsors for 2026, Pfizer and Foundation Medicine.

You'll be hearing more about these sponsors later in the year. I couldn't do this work without their support and their belief in improving men's mental health and cancer health.

Previous episodes with Joe Bullock

Howling Joe Bullock, 7/14/20

Cancerland legend Joe Bullock is back to talk about the Howling Place, COLONTOWN JR., and... forest bathing#KFG #BDP, 1/12/21

Has Joe Bullock cloned himself? #Cancerland needs to know! 3/22/22

Man Up to Cancer grows up w/ Joe Bullock, 1/9/24