I found out I had cancer on a Friday afternoon during what I thought was a routine doctor’s appointment. Alone and overwhelmed, I returned to the office and sat at my desk for two hours, unsure what to do. When my colleague noticed I looked terrible and asked if I needed anything, I could only say I didn’t know. I thought that was the end of the conversation, but at 5 p.m., she returned with a carefully prepared list of every company benefit that could help me, including medical leave, flexible working hours, insurance contacts, and names of coworkers who had experienced treatment.

She had spent the entire afternoon researching resources without even knowing what my diagnosis was. She simply said, “I don’t know what the bad news is, but I figured information doesn’t hurt.” I used almost everything on that list throughout my treatment. She never pressured me to explain what happened, never asked personal questions, and never even brought it up when I returned to work eight months later. Sometimes, the greatest kindness comes from someone who doesn’t need to know your story to help you through it.READ MORE BELOW