Now I know...

From time to time, I rant about the fact that whenever I fill in a job application now, I'm informed that if I've had cancer, I have to classify myself as disabled. I object to that!

Thanks to a friend of a friend who has specialist knowledge of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), I now understand two things:

1. I do not have to declare myself disabled - and nobody can insist I do
2. The aim of inclusion under the DDA is meant to stop employers discriminating against those who've had cancer; employers often avoid employing cancer survivors, "in case the cancer comes back". The DDA is supposed to stop this happening. My experience, however, is that it has exactly the opposite effect - it singles us out, and, in fact, most of the cancer survivors I know (me included) are probably healthier than the so-called 'able-bodied'. At least we have medical professionals keeping an eye on us...