Mums with cancer don't get maternity leave.
Instead, they have hospital appointments, aggressive treatment, debilitating side-effects. Often, they are too sick or in too much pain to hold their newborn and their precious bond struggles to form.
Time meant for healing and bonding is lost forever.
Mums report increased struggles with depression, anxiety, overwhelm and suicidal ideation.
Their identity as a parent is challenged, as their expectations of pregnancy and maternity leave are destroyed.
Despite this, they are expected to return to work at the usual time, regardless of how much of their protected leave was robbed by their cancer.
That's why we are urging the UK Government to “Save Our Bond” by introducing legislation to allow mums and birthing people diagnosed with cancer to defer or pause their maternity leave until after their active cancer treatment is complete.
take action today
On 15th October we will meet with Ministers from the Departments
of 'Business, Innovation, Science & Trade' and 'Work & Pensions'.
They can make this small change with a big impact happen!
And we need you to let them know that this is an important change
that a lot of people want.
1) Email them today to share your support for #SaveOurBond.
Templates are below and don't forget to 'cc' us into your emails so we can tell them how many of you have contacted them.
2) Share and engage with our social media posts
Encourage your friends and followers to do the same and be sure to tag @katedeardenmp
so she sees how much this matters.
On 17th March we met with MPs at the House of Commons to launch the campaign.
Since then, our ask has been raised twice in the House of Commons and shared widely across national and local media.
We have been in conversation with MPs from across the UK and Northern Ireland, and all have been hugely supportive of our mission.
They know it makes sense.
Now we need to convince the Ministers who can make this change happen.
We asked mums we support about their Maternity Leave experience...
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were unable to return to work after their Maternity Leave
would have benefitted from more time off after their Maternity Leave
felt like less of a parent after their Maternity Leave
Meet Amy...
She was diagnosed with HER 2+ Oestrogen-fed breast cancer at 38 weeks pregnant.
“I wasn't able to care for my baby during my maternity leave. Caregiver duties fell on my husband, his mum and my mum. My daughter would turn away and cry when passed to me. I was absent emotionally and physically and I spent a lot of time incredibly upset.
The cancer was like this invisible barrier between me and my newborn; both my children actually. It was something they didn't understand, but accepted as normal. My first born was very used to being close to me, and now he has quite extreme attachment anxiety. The lack of bond between me and my children impacted my mental health more than the cancer diagnosis and treatment ever did."
who need longer to process their cancer treatment and recover both physically and mentally
If the Government makes the change we need, it will benefit...
who want to better support their employees to come back to work and stay in work
who miss out on time and bonding with mum during their important first year
Let's level the playing field
As soon as baby is born, mat leave automatically begins (if it hasn't already) regardless of mum's health or situation.
But fathers and partners can defer their paternity leave for up to 52 weeks, if they become seriously unwell.
With the UK Government already reviewing Parental Leave and committed to ‘Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life’ now is the perfect time to reassess the law around maternity leave, and make sure both parents have the time they deserve to bond with their newborn.
Psst! Want to know a secret?
The change we are asking for has already happened... in Ireland!
Between 2021 and 2024, the Irish Cancer Society hosted a successful campaign to their Government, asking that an employee who receives a diagnosis of a serious health condition (including cancer!) could postpone their Maternity Leave until their treatment is concluded.
Minister Roderic O’Gorman described the successful change to legislation as “a small, simple change that will have a big impact for so many women at a very challenging time in their lives.”
That's why we are confident that the UK Government can and should reassess its own legislation... we just need to tell them about it!
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