Allsup Supports Cancer And Careers’ Free 12th Annual West Coast Conference On Work & Cancer

Free virtual event on Saturday, Oct. 17, offers practical guidance on working during and after cancer treatment, including sessions on AI and nutrition

Belleville, Illinois, Oct. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) representation, return-to-work support and veterans disability appeal services, is a patron sponsor of Cancer and Careers’ 12th Annual West Coast Conference on Work & Cancer. The free virtual event takes place Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Pacific time.

A cancer diagnosis can bring unexpected challenges to a person’s life and career. More than 70% of cancer diagnoses are made in adults ages 20 to 74, according to Cancer and Careers. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 18.6 million cancer survivors were living in the U.S. as of May 2025.

For many of them, questions about work come up right alongside questions about treatment. The conference is built around those questions. It is open to patients, survivors, caregivers, health care professionals, employers, human resources (HR) professionals, advocates and anyone else affected by cancer.

“A cancer diagnosis raises hard questions about work — whether you can keep going, when to step away and how to protect your income,” said T.J. Geist, principal advocate at Allsup. “Cancer and Careers gives people practical answers and a plan. When someone can’t work, Allsup can help them apply for SSDI benefits. And when beneficiaries are ready to explore going back to work, Allsup Employment Services is there to help with that next step.”

Sessions Cover Treatment, Recovery And Work
The 2026 program includes three sessions, from managing side effects at work to using artificial intelligence (AI):

• How to: Navigate Work & Cancer (9:45 a.m. PT): Guidance on disclosure decisions, balancing treatment and work, job search dos and don’ts, communication strategies and managing side effects.
• How to: Use AI Strategically (11:30 a.m. PT): Where AI can help, such as explaining concepts, summarizing information and brainstorming questions for HR or a healthcare team, and where it falls short, such as interpreting the law or making disclosure decisions.
• How to: Balance Nutrition & Work (1 p.m. PT): Practical ways to eat well during the workday while managing treatment-related dietary needs, medication schedules, limited time and unreliable food storage.

Featured speakers include Karla Giboyeaux, a clinical dietitian nutritionist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Ralph Lauren Center; Sissy Silva, senior manager of programs and Spanish resources at Cancer and Careers; and Scott Sinclair, senior manager of programs at Cancer and Careers.

The conference runs on Zoom, with webinar and phone-only options. Real-time closed captioning is available throughout the event. Nurses, social workers and HR professionals can earn continuing education or professional development credits; details are on the accreditation page. To register for the free event, visit the Cancer and Careers registration page.

Support When Cancer Interrupts Work
For more than 42 years, Allsup has helped people with disabilities through the SSDI application and appeals process, securing benefits for more than 425,000 customers. When cancer or its treatment keeps someone from working, SSDI benefits may help replace part of their lost income.

People who are already receiving SSDI benefits can get free employment help from Allsup Employment Services (AES), a Social Security-authorized Employment Network and subsidiary of Allsup. Through the Ticket to Work Program, AES vocational experts provide career guidance, job search assistance and help understanding how earnings affect benefits. AES has helped more than 43,000 people return to work.

For information about applying for SSDI benefits, appealing a denial or checking eligibility, visit FileSSDI.Allsup.com or call (800) 678-3276.

For free return-to-work assistance through the Ticket To Work Program, visit AllsupEmploymentServices.com or call (866) 540-5105.

ABOUT CANCER AND CAREERS
Cancer and Careers empowers and educates people with cancer to thrive in their workplace by providing expert advice, interactive tools and educational events. Cancer and Careers supports more than 600,000 people annually through online resources, print materials and live programs.

ABOUT ALLSUP
Allsup and its subsidiaries provide nationwide Social Security disability, veterans disability appeal, disability financial solutions, return to work, and healthcare benefits services for individuals, their employers and insurance carriers. Allsup professionals deliver specialized services supporting people with disabilities and seniors so they may lead lives that are as financially secure and as healthy as possible. Founded in 1984, the company is based in Belleville, Illinois, near St. Louis. Learn more at Allsup.com or download a free PDF of Applying for Social Security Disability Insurance: Getting It Right The First Time.

ABOUT ALLSUP EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
Allsup Employment Services (AES), a subsidiary of Allsup, provides free nationwide assistance to Social Security disability beneficiaries returning to work through Social Security’s Ticket to Work Program. AES is a Social Security-authorized Employment Network (EN) whose professionals help beneficiaries protect their Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits while they attempt a return to work. Learn more at AllsupEmploymentServices.com.

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• T.J. Geist, principal advocate at Allsup

Rebecca Ray
Allsup
(618) 236-5065
r.ray@allsup.com

Laura Sala
Allsup
(618) 409-7079
l.sala@allsup.com