I was fired because I have cancer. But what happened in the office a week later shocked everyone.

I was fired because I have cancer. But what happened in the office a week later shocked both management, HR, and even me…

When I received the diagnosis, I thought: «It will be hard, but I have a job, support, insurance. I am not alone.» Naive.

I went to HR with the documents, my voice trembling. I explained about starting chemotherapy, about the need for a flexible schedule, but also about my desire to keep working. Mariana, the manager, looked at me as if I had said I had leprosy.

— Sofia, this is very delicate, — she said with a smile that barely hid her dislike. — We need an employee at 100%.

And I was fired. Just like that, with a box, papers to sign, and an empty «good luck».

But what happened in the office a week later shocked both management, HR, and me.

Continuation in the first comment.

My colleagues did not remain indifferent. A week later they announced a strike, hung posters, recorded videos for social media, and declared loudly: «You don’t fire a colleague for being sick — you support them!»

The company’s reaction was unexpected. Instead of firing everyone, management saw how widely the scandal had spread — in the media, in the business community, across the whole country. The situation simply became disgraceful for the company’s reputation.

Under pressure from the public and colleagues, the company was forced to reconsider its decision.

I was reinstated, given full insurance coverage for treatment, and the colleagues who supported me were left untouched.

After some time, I completed the treatment and returned to work with a normal schedule, stronger and more confident in myself.

This experience showed me that solidarity, humanity, and persistence can change even the most unfair rules.