| Summary: | Background: To be a parent to a child dying of cancer affect not just the parents themselves, but the whole family. Experiences of fear, powerlessness and anxiety surrounds them. Nurses need knowledge about parents’ experiences to help and support these parents adequately. Aim: The aim of the study was to describe parents’ experiences of losing a child to cancer, from diagnosis to the child’s death. Method: A qualitative approach was used to this literature study. Six autobiographic books was analysed with content analysis. Results: The results of this study are represented into three main categories, the medical service and staff. The importance of maintaining the same caregivers and receiving straight and honest information on their child´s condition. How the child´s sickness affects the family situation. Many parents preferred to care for their child at home, that way the siblings could be together which alleviates their anxiety from the parents. Finally how life just seem to stop. The parents wanted to buy presents, gifts and to travel with their child, as much quality time as possible because they never knew how long the child would be alive. Conclusion: The child’s cancer affects the whole family. In between all pain and sorrow, the parents appreciated life of small matters together with their child. If the staff in the medical service can offer the parents’ compliance and support threw the entire situation. It could help the parents to continue to carry on.
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