Existential reflections of South African women with breast cancer.

Abstract

The period following a breast cancer diagnosis has been described as a time of reflection and inward search for existential meaning. The purpose of this study was to explore how South African women dealt with suffering, the possibility of death and found meaning in their diagnosis and ensuing treatment and its termination. This sample comprised of eight South Africa women between the ages of 30 to 57 years, diagnosed with breast cancer, and who had terminated active oncology treatment. The design of the study was qualitative. Semi-structured interviews were utilised to examine the existential issues facing the respondents. The data was analysed using Patton’s principles of Thematic Content Analysis (1987) which reduced the narratives into three key themes namely: existential reflections, existential meaning and role of culture. Physical and emotional suffering was experienced as an outcome of participants’ treatment and ensuing circumstance. This suffering was understood as the price that one must pay in order to survive cancer and thus most participants assigned positive connotations to treatment in order to ascribe meaning. As treatment affected every aspect of participants’ lives, there was a need to greatly revise and re-evaluate ones’ values and purpose in life. In addition, participants expressed deep regret and guilt over the manner in which they had lived their lives before their diagnosis. This seemed to initiate a bargaining process which resulted in more intrinsically fulfilled women. Participants seemed to engage in many strategies in order to defeat their cancer and continue on with their lives; these strategies were mainly controlled by hope and positivity. This was greatly associated with the meaning participants made from their experience. Two predominant elements were utilised to make meaning: religion and spirituality, and purpose in life. There seemed to be an interconnectedness between helping others and helping oneself that was derived from spirituality and religion and ones’ perceived purpose in life. All aspects of meaning making and adjustment seemed to heavily influence by one’s cultural affiliations and beliefs. From this study, it is evident that South African women engage in meaning-making activities and successfully negotiate these in order to achieve meaning and adjustment to having breast cancer. This research suggests that once a comprehensive understanding is developed of the range of existential concerns that South African women experience, we will be better able to provide resources that are more adequately suited to assist with their experienced difficulties and this may result in improved levels of adjustment and quality of life