Exploring Parents' Stories of Coping with Their Child's Cancer: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The focus of this investigation was to explore stories about coping with childhood cancer in a support group for parents. Using the principles of ethnographic epistemology, this study considered the stories of eight parents whose children were diagnosed with cancer and who decided to join a support group. Themes were identified which led to a delineation of how each parent coped with this trauma in their lives. In addition, the researchers' perspective as to what was helpful to the group members is discussed. An overview of the existing body of knowledge on childhood cancer and the family is presented and the value of a social support group in parenting a child with cancer is considered. It is argued that there is a need for a conceptual shift in order to understand the problem of parenting such a child.