The treatment of childhood cancer: unveiling the experience of parents

OBJECTIVE: to understand the experiences of parents of children and adolescents with cancer undergoing treatment. METHOD: qualitative research, based on Heidegger's existential phenomenology, in which 13 parents of eight patients under 19 years of age, assisted by a charity association, were interviewed. RESULTS: three topics resulted from the analysis: "Experiencing the unpleasantness of the treatment"; "Fearing the possibility of a frightening situation" and "Experiencing the carelessness of another person". It was showed that during and after the treatment, the parents experience the fear of the unknown and the uncertainty of the future of their children, especially as they witness the death of other children; they also experience the indifference of professionals working in the local healthcare units and feel helpless and insecure. CONCLUSION: It is essential that the healthcare professionals, particularly the nurses, reflect about their care actions focused on the parents of children with cancer, recognizing their existential needs with the purpose of assisting them in their situation.