Adolescents with cancer : their experience living with a chronic illness

• Main Author: Rechner, Mona Gale
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2010
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/27341

This phenomenologic study was designed to understand and describe the experiences of adolescents with cancer living with a chronic illness. The study was conducted with a sample of five adolescents, aged thirteen to seventeen who had received or were receiving treatments for cancer. Data were collected during audio-taped interviews and were analyzed for common themes. The findings revealed that the adolescents' overall goal was to get on with life. The teenagers responded to cancer by experiencing the illness and determining that they were normal. They developed a philosophy of being positive and redefined their social world in order to get on with life. Understanding the manner in which adolescents with cancer experience living with this illness may enable health care practitioners to provide appropriate care to the teenager with cancer. Implications for practice, research and education are discussed. === Applied Science, Faculty of === Nursing, School of === Graduate