Jannie Bay Kobberholm is the Head of Consulting at Talentech Denmark and has been part of the company for over seven years. When you meet her, you’re struck by her calm confidence and care for her team. She’s a leader, a problem-solver, and someone who takes pride in making things work, for clients and for people.
But this impression of her got lost for a period in time. When i n September 2021, her life suddenly took a turn and everything changed.
Let's go back to 2021
When Jannie suddenly lost her vision in one eye at a company event, she had no idea how much and for how long her life was about to change.
“I actually thought it was just the lighting that was weird. I told a coworker, ‘I need to hold your hand, I don’t think I can walk in this light,’” she recalls. “Still, I didn't want to make a fuss. I thought it would pass."
But it wasn’t the light or anything else that would just pass. Straight from the event, Jannie was transported to a hospital. And then to another. And another one. She stayed there for a week, being closely watched.
From a crisis to a slow, gradual recovery
What followed this initial hospital visit was a long and uncertain medical journey involving multiple hospitals, neurological tests, biopsies, and treatments, with no clear diagnosis even years later.
“To this day, they still don’t know what it is. It’s likely an autoimmune disease, but they can’t say for sure. That has been one of the hardest parts, not having clear answers. You want something concrete to fight against, and instead, it’s just uncertainty.”
Jannie’s condition caused memory lapses, extreme fatigue, vision issues, and constant headaches. There were moments she couldn’t recall conversations or people. And for someone in a leadership position, the fear was very real:
“You think, ‘Am I going to lose this job? Will I be able to work like I used to?’ And honestly, no one would have blamed them if they said they couldn’t keep me. But they didn’t.”
An invisible illness with visible impact
For over a year, Jannie slowly phased back into full-time work. But the illness, and the medication she was on, left long-term effects most people couldn’t see.
“If I had a broken arm, people would understand. But I looked fine. There’s no cast for fatigue or memory loss. And when people can’t see it, they don’t always understand it. So they assumed I was back to normal, which I just wasn’t. Not for a long time to be honest.”
She struggled not only with the physical effects of her treatment and medication, but also the pressure she put on herself to prove she was back, even when she wasn’t fully ready. Her worries were met with support, especially from her manager, Lotte.
“In the beginning, I came in just for a few hours. Looking back, I wasn’t functioning fully, but it helped just to show up and feel part of something. And Lotte (CSO at Talentech) let me do that.”
Being a manager while still healing
What makes Jannie’s story even more complex is that she had just stepped into a managerial role the very month she fell ill.
“When I came back, I wasn’t just trying to catch up on what I missed, but I was also learning how to lead from scratch. I was basically learning what I should have been before it all happened.”
And while she’s grown into that role, she’s also had to redefine what leadership looks like to her.
“I'm not the kind of manager who needs to know everything or do it all. I want a team who can learn from each other and I can learn from aswell. We often forget that leaders are also vulnerable. We don’t stop being people just because we have responsibility. We also need recognition and support.”
Work, motherhood, and learning to say ‘that’s enough for today’
Since recovering, Jannie has also become a mother – another major transition that reshaped her relationship with work.
“Before my illness, and before being a mother, I often used to stay late, work nights. I didn't really care. Now I can’t do that anymore, and I don’t want to. I want to do good work, but I also want to be there for my son. And I’ve learned I can’t be great at both all the time.”
Now, she’s focused on creating better boundaries, asking for help, and managing her time with more intention.
“I’m still learning to say: this is enough for today. It’ll still be there tomorrow. And sometimes, that's the bravest thing to do. To stop.”
The power of feeling wanted
When asked what helped her the most in coming back, Jannie doesn’t really mention a policy or process. Instead, she talks about the people around her. Not only her family and close friends, but also her colleagues.
“What truly helped was feeling that I was missed. Not just as a colleague, but as a person. Several people had followed my journey, and some were emotionally affected by what I’d been through. That touched me deeply. I think it makes it a little easier to be sick when you know there are people waiting for you and cheering you on to find your way back.”
Jannie knows her story is hers alone, but that companies everywhere will have employees go through something life-altering.
“You never know what someone is going through. And sometimes, the kindest thing a company can do is just stay connected. Let them know they matter. That they still belong. For me, it meant a lot to feel they still believed in me and in my ability to return to the role I had.”
