How Amazon is creating a supportive workplace culture for employees with cancer

Craig Edwards was a pillar of health before his cancer diagnosis in 2021. Evenings were spent having quality time with his partner Stephanie, his young daughter, and their dog, and on weekends, you could catch him practicing Krav Maga martial arts or setting up a projector in the backyard to stream TV—not poring over health care paperwork or on the phone with doctors. His biggest worries were how to unravel a challenging customer request as an Amazon Web Services (AWS) solutions architect. All that changed when he developed invasive squamous cell carcinoma—a difficult-to-treat type of head and neck cancer given how sensitive the tissue is in that part of the body. Through it all, Amazon’s support for Edwards never wavered.

“My leaders and team have done any and everything that a person could ever ask throughout my cancer journey,” said Edwards. “They sent my family meals and paid for soup for me during the times I couldn’t eat solid food. And at work, they were my body when my body failed me. With the help of my team, my career progression didn’t stop. I was even able to get promoted while undergoing treatment.”

As of June 2023, Edwards is cancer-free once again. He had a complete response to targeted immunotherapy.

“No cancer is visible in my throat anymore, so for now, I will be keeping my voice,” said Edwards. “If I hadn’t had the ability to seek second and third opinions, I would be recovering from laryngectomy surgery right now.”

Craig Edwards shows off a huge grin to the camera.

Craig Edwards shows off a huge smile after an appointment at the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on June 8, 2023, in New York.

Amazon has signed the Working with Cancer pledge to signify a continued commitment to providing a supportive workplace culture for employees with cancer. That includes providing leading health care benefits and a dedication to fostering compassion in managers and leaders across the company. A supportive work culture is just one way Amazon employees feel supported amid cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

Keep reading to learn how Amazon supports employees and their family members affected by cancer.

CARES program for employees with cancer

Amazon has a team solely dedicated to helping navigate work, care, benefits, and resources amid cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. The Amazon Cancer Advocacy, Resources, Education, and Support (CARES) program provides high-touch, one-to-one support for employees—including hourly employees—and employee family members who have been diagnosed with cancer. The CARES program is designed to alleviate employees’ stress related to working while sick and to help with accessing the best possible care, benefits management, health system navigation, appointment scheduling, paperwork, and more. In addition to helping with medical-related needs, CARES case managers can help employees with conversations about cancer diagnosis with managers, Amazon leaders, and human resources (HR) as needed. CARES also provides resources to colleagues of those who have become sick, providing advice on how to best support them.

Any Amazon employee or their family members can work with a CARES case manager, regardless of the employee’s job function or if they are full- or part-time, enrolled in a medical plan through Amazon or not.

Craig Edwards and his partner, Stephanie, are shown standing outside while looking at Edwards's phone. They both express relief after receiving a notification of Edwards being cancer-free.

Edwards called his mother outside the hospital with his partner, Stephanie, after a check up on the progress of immunotherapy treatments for his throat cancer yielded good news: There were no detectable traces of cancer in his throat. Edwards will continue immunotherapy treatments for two more years.

Access to 2nd.MD for employees and families

Amazon also partners with 2nd.MD to provide employees and their families access to a network of expert medical specialists to review new or existing diagnoses and treatment plans. Through this partnership, employees and family members can connect with 2nd.MD upon receiving a cancer diagnosis, to get help understanding treatment choices and the type of cancer and receive support in preparing for a doctor’s visit.

In addition to cancer-related support, Amazon offers many employees a comprehensive benefits package, which includes health insurance from an employee’s first day on the job, a 401(k) plan with a company match, up to 20 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents, free mental health support, access to subsidized skills training opportunities, and more. Learn more about Amazon Benefits.

Amazon employee benefits vary based on factors like work location, scheduled work hours, length of employment, and employee type (e.g. seasonal or temporary).