I recently made a big decision, to change jobs. I start my new job this week and I’m really excited for a new challenge at one of Australia’s biggest Cancer NFPs. Over the years I have held back on taking risks and trying new things. It is easy to be consumed in my constraints because of illness and forget to live outside of my comfort zone.

I finished up last week at my previous job that I was in for over 3 years. I learnt a lot there from my team and made some great friends. They have also been very flexible and understanding with my appointments and working from home to make it easier for me, which I am very grateful. That’s why, to decide to leave wasn’t an easy choice. Starting a new job means building up trust again, proving your ability, meeting new people and this time around, I have the added worry of bringing my health issues with me and having to explain this.

I was diagnosed with FAP once I had already started my current job, so every further development hasn’t needed to be explained. I was lucky that my first manager also suffered from chronic illness, and had bowel cancer in the family, so she didn’t question the time off I was needing for appointments and surgery.

The safe option for me is staying in the job that I am well respected in, have strong relationships within the company and can be flexible in. But at the same time I am at a stage in my career where I want to continually challenge myself and to do this I need to take on a new role, in a different industry where I can learn new things.

I’m proud of myself that I took this chance, and went for a job in the health/charity area that I’ve wanted to get into for a while, and also in internal communications, a field I’ve wanted to move in to (up to now I’ve worked in marketing).

It’s one step towards not being afraid of my disabilities and extra requirements, and taking a step forward for myself and what I want to achieve.