How to Support When Cancer Strikes

Cancer has touched all of us in some way - but most of us don't know what to say or how to be there for the person. I spoke with Kim Hamer who is working to support those that support those with cancer - either personally or professionally. After the death of her husband, Kim, an HR leader, noticed that managers received no guidance when navigating cancer or death on their teams. She saw how their lack of helpful tools and guidance was costly. It negatively affected employee engagement, increased turnover rates, and lowered productivity. She set out to change that. Combining her personal experience with her professional knowledge and leadership skills, Kim launched 100 Acts of Love, a consultancy that provides tools to help leaders increase team productivity, trust, and engagement when cancer affects the whole team member. She is the author of 100 Acts of Love: A Girlfriend's Guide to Loving Your Friend through Cancer or Loss, an easy-to-read book filled with 100 practical, quick, and effective ways to support an employee, friend, or coworker. She's an HR consultant and sought-after public speaker who lives in Los Angeles, where she tries not to bother her relatively well-behaved college-aged children.