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Living with cancer: children with extraordinary courage
M Hockenberry-Eaton1, P Minick
1Texas Children's Hospital, Houston.
Purpose:
To gain an understanding of the personal experience of school-age children with cancer.
Design:
Phenomenologic.
Setting:
A comprehensive pediatric cancer center in the southeastern United States.
Sample:
21 children (11 males and 10 females) 7-13 years of age receiving treatment for a variety of cancers.
Main Research Variables:
Children's thoughts and feelings about their cancer and its treatment.
Findings:
Common themes about what provided strength for these children during treatment emerged: "knowing" (what to expect, information about cancer, others with cancer), "caring" (for self, being cared for by family and nurses), "feeling special" (feeling unique and also struggling to feel normal), and "getting used to it" (being brave, accepting things).
Conclusions:
Children can demonstrate a pattern of strength and the ability to bounce back, despite stressful situations. In spite of differences in cognitive development, children can be helped to develop strength in the face of adversity.
Implications For Nursing:
Nurses can assist children with cancer by developing interventions that provide age-appropriate information, support their perceived specialness, and integrate the use of new interventions that decrease painful treatments.