“I just definitely feel like the benefits at Gale truly allow me to go through the situation without a whole lot of like micromanagement or ownership on my part,” he said, adding that he is grateful for all the conversations that happened behind the scenes. “The benefits just do their job.” 

Maintaining professional freedom 

Saim wants to prove that a diagnosis does not negate the skillset an employee can bring to the workplace, or their desire to keep offering up that energy. He said a central component of addressing cancer diagnoses is offering employees the space to maintain their skills, and he wouldn’t necessarily call clocking a 40-hour workweek while going through chemo an unrealistic expectation.

After vice president of client services Leo Schnayer asked what he would ideally want to do, and Saim stressed that he wanted to remove roadblocks for incoming agency talent, he was struck by the “the sheer ease with which [Gale] made it happen.”

“Not only has this been some of the most rewarding work that I’ve done in my career,” he said, “but if it weren’t for the work that I’ve done this year, I don’t think I would have as positive of an outlook on my health as I currently do.” 

He noted that cancer patients often approach their illness in two- to three-month timeframes that align with cyclical doctors appointments and procedures. During those breaks, he’s been able to reflect on “the goodness that has come as a result of this year.” While the ease Gale offered in this career pivot stands out to Saim, support from the agency also comes in the form of regular check-ins, which can start with a medical update and comfortably ease into more lighthearted conversation. 

“I’ve really been able to focus my attention on what I’m leaving behind,” he said. “The conversation that always eats at my head is, ‘Have I done enough?’ and ‘Is there more that I can do?’ That’s really what’s driving me right now.”