Jacci Woodcock, 60, from Milford, Derbyshire, was forced out of her job as an area sales manager three years ago after being diagnosed with terminal breast cancer.
With the support of her Union and her local MP, Pauline Latham, Jacci started the Dying to Work campaign which has since seen hundreds of employers nationwide sign up to its voluntary charter to prevent cases like Jacci’s happening in the future.
Jacci explained more:
“When I found myself in the position of being told I was terminally ill, I carried on working – it never entered my head not to carry on working – and then work started to put pressure on me to resign.
“So I got my Union involved with my work situation and also personally went to my MP, Pauline, to say can you help me with this campaign? We’re all doing our bit and working together and it’s going very successfully.”
I’m not taking any more treatment and I want to die with dignity
I’m not taking any more treatment and I want to die with dignity
Jacci has now chosen to stop her medical treatment and is accessing the services of her local hospice, Treetops Hospice Care.
“I’m not afraid to talk about death because I’ve already planned my funeral, done my will and so on.
“I’ve been attending the Well-being Days and have really enjoyed coming here and meeting other people. I’m also looking at my end of life plan because I want to die at home so that’s the reason I’ve tapped into the services of Treetops, as my local hospice.
“I’m not taking any more treatment and I want to die with dignity. I am choosing quality over quantity. Treetops will become very important to me in the end.”
I don’t want anyone else to go through so much stress that I had to go through
I don’t want anyone else to go through so much stress that I had to go through
Jacci is very frank about what she wants businesses, especially smaller and medium enterprises, to do:
“If I had been supported properly, I probably would still be working until now.
“Not everyone who has a terminal diagnosis leaves work. Some people work until they die. I never had a day off whilst at work. It’s incredibly important to be the person you are.
“I’ve worked too hard at this campaign and I don’t want anyone else to go through so much stress that I had to go through.
Maybe tomorrow this could happen to you and wouldn’t you want to know that the law – and your employer – are looking after you?
Maybe tomorrow this could happen to you and wouldn’t you want to know that the law – and your employer – are looking after you?
“My message to businesses reading this is to tell me why you’re not signing up? By not signing, you’re sending a message that you don’t value your workers.
“And for employees reading this – maybe tomorrow this could happen to you and wouldn’t you want to know that the law – and your employer – are looking after you?”
If you do it already as a business, what’s the harm in signing?
If you do it already as a business, what’s the harm in signing?
Pauline Latham, MP for Derbyshire, said:
“Lots of firms are coming on board and I’ve also got a number of MPs to sign up to it as well as we’re all employers. We might not have a huge number of employees but it’s all about getting the message out to people.
“If you do it already as a business, what’s the harm in signing?”
Since its launch in April 2016, the Dying to Work Voluntary Charter now protects over half a million employees with larger companies such as Rolls Royce, Severn Trent Water, Royal Mail and E.On signing up. A number of public sector bodies have also signed up including NHS trusts, the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Services and Derbyshire County Council. Voluntary and charitable organisations have also come on board including Treetops Hospice Care who signed the Charter earlier this year.
Signing the Dying to Work Charter is just one part of a wider ‘Compassionate Communities’ project which Treetops is leading in Erewash and South Derbyshire.
The project, funded by Derby County Council, aims to normalise death and dying and help people make more informed choices at the end of life. The project encourages corporate businesses to sign up to the Charter and consider how they, as employers, support someone who is diagnosed with a life limiting illness – as well as supporting their colleagues.
Those interested in finding out more about the Dying to Work Charter and how to sign up, should head to the website for more information.
Treetops Hospice Care services include Support and Information, a Day Care Unit, Hospice at Home nurses and Therapeutic Services including counselling, art therapy and complementary therapy.