Child cancer recurrence: a study about the mother's experience

Abstract

A relapse in pediatric oncology is experienced by mothers as a critical and threatening event. The diagnosis of the disease relapse implies in a new beginning of the treatment and the potential of failure and child loss. This study aimed to understand the mother's experience of her child's treatment phase. In this qualitative design study, a 39-year old mother participated in a semi-structured interview regarding aspects of her child's treatment trajectory, the resonances in family relationships, and the confrontation of the possibility of death. A thematic content analysis was used to analyze the data. The results indicated themes related to the attribution of meaning to the experience, the perception of injuries in the relationship scope, and a constant threat of loss. Understanding the mother's experiences can favor the planning of psychological interventions that support the attribution of a new meaning to the sickness-health process, as well as provide a preparation for the family regarding end-of-life care.