Do you believe in fairy tales?
Andrea Poen
Junior teamleider
In early 2020, my life was suddenly turned upside down. I was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer and began a lengthy course of treatment. Twelve months later, I had a medical to assess my health for work; the conclusion was that I could not go back to my old job of operator. So, while things were bad enough already with the cancer, I now had to worry about my future, my job, and my income too.
I ended up on a ‘second track’ at Stap Nu, where they were very helpful in supervising my return to work. My coach, Dyon Klaassen, and I had a look at what would, and would not, suit my personal work capacity and what I wanted to do. Although we focused on finding different work, I still hoped, and longed, to be able to stay at Meldon Plastics | Extrusion Intelligence. And, after much blood, sweat and tears, as I proceeded along the ‘track’, my wish had more and more chance of becoming a reality. Bit by bit, my health returned, the results from the hospital were favorable and I started to work more and more hours in my old job.
Now, nearly 2.5 years after I got the diagnosis, I have managed to make a full return to work. I’m so proud of that achievement. But I’m grateful too: Grateful that I was able to survive it all, physically and mentally. Grateful that I’m surrounded by people who are there for me, through thick and thin. But also grateful that I have an employer who supported me, and allowed me the time and space to recover.
That’s my personal fairy tale. And to round it all off, I can finally say that I replied to an internal job vacancy at Meldon, and as of 1 July, I will be promoted to Junior Team Manager. I have got my life back, and it’s even better than I could have imagined. Now I have the courage and confidence to focus on this wonderful new challenge.