Lived Experiences of patients with a child suffering from cancer

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the lived experiences of parents with a child suffering from cancer. Specifically, it sought to find the emotional, social, socio-economic, and spiritual experiences of parents of parents with regards to having a child suffering from cancer. It also sought to find the coping mechanisms of parents in relation to having a child suffering from cancer. The researchers used qualitative study particularly the phenomenological approach designed to meet the objectives. There were ten (10) respondents consisting of five (5) parents. They are from Benguet and Baguio City. The researchers used interview method to gather data. The obtained data were clustered and interpreted. According to the data gathered, the findings of the revealed the following: It was such a shock for most parents to have their child diagnosed with cancer. It was such a shock for most parents to have their child diagnosed with cancer. Some have accepted it in a short period of time while some took time to accept the diagnosis. Parents pitied their children especially when they see them in pain of when they are manifesting signs of the disease. Most of them had special treatments for their child especially when it comes to disciplining the. The parents wanted their child to have a normal life despite the illness they have. Some are ready to accept the death of their child in the event that it will happen. Some didn’t know yet ready to accept yet. Most parents stated that they closer and stronger ties and relationships with their family and friends. There is no significant change in the way they socialize with other people. However, when talking about their child’s illness, most of them were open, others were not. They were able to ask help financially and emotionally from their family, friends and relatives while some were able to ask help from the department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). In work, most of them had their careers affected by the disease process. Parents’ combined monthly income ranges from 13,000- 25,000 php. With this range of monthly income, most parents stated that they have to be thriftier and have to be tight in spending their money. Most parents claimed to have a stronger and closer relationship with God. The care rendered by most parents to their child was enhanced. Moreover, no one had a grudge against God since most of them looked at Him in a positive way. The coping mechanisms utilized by parents are enumerated to be crying, sleeping, socializing with others, meditating and praying and smoking. In conclusion, having a child diagnosed with cancer brings out changes on the lives of these parents on the four aspects of well-being namely: emotional, social, socio-economic and spiritual Based on the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations are forwarded: To the nurse instructors, to integrate in their discussion the importance of involving the parents in the interventions to be carried out; To the nurse clinicians, to help the parents establish grieving support measures, to advocate on behalf of the family communicating and documenting their preferred approach to care, to prepare individual care for patients and their family in many different aspect of cancer experience providing education on emotional, social, socio-economic and spiritual support including counseling across continuum; To the nursing profession, to include in their health teachings the healthy coping mechanisms to be employed in such situation like having a child with cancer; and further study on the lived experiences of parents having a child with cancer; and further study on the lived experiences of parents having a child suffering from cancer utilizing both participatory and direct observation, on larger population of parents with a child suffering from cancer, and on lived experiences of the cancer patients’ siblings.