Supporting Parents through the Experience of Their Childs Cancer Treatment - Dissertation Example

the study focuses on the support rendered to the parents of a child with cancer, which according to numerous researches normally undergo both disheartening and distressful experiences (Boman, Bjork & Lindahl, 2003). This is especially when they watch their children experience painful incidences on daily basis with little knowledge on how to alleviate it or help them (Kars et al. 2008). Consequently, in this situation parents end up experiencing depression, stress, and shock (Boman, Bjork & Lindahl, 2003). The latter (shock) characterizes parents of newly diagnosed children with cancer, which persists almost throughout the entire treatment period though there are strategies by varied entities meant to help them. These encompass instituting support mechanisms for both the parents and children during the long-term treatment period (Yun-Shan & Verklan, 2008). They embrace availing adequate information to the parents or the guardians, supporting their coping strategies/mechanisms (like fellowshipping together), and intervening where possible with the necessary support (Ferrandis et al. 2008). Availing adequate information to the parents goes beyond imparting them with literature about cancer but equipping them with the necessary knowledge regarding what is affecting their children (Rogers, 2011). Therefore, this entails effective parent-clinician communication intended to give caregivers psychological peace (Clarke & Neil, 2010). However, due to certain factors in the medical institutions, this has somehow failed. This is evident with confusions that the parents have experienced when dealing with diverse pediatricians handling their children's cases, whereby they seem to have to contradict ideas concerning their children’s cancer predicaments. Consequently, this leaves parents with doubt regarding the expertise of the oncologists tackling their child’s health predicament (Boman, Bjork & Lindahl, 2003). This study seeks to highlight experiences of parents having a child with cancer, how they react to stress (based on gender), their coping mechanisms, and the effectiveness of varied strategies meant to support parents through the treatment period.      

• Rationale

The topic is essential in relation to my field as a pediatrician whereby its core focus entails highlighting the epidemic of childhood cancer and what their parents experience. Mostly, this encompasses support mechanisms so far instituted by varied related authorities aimed at helping parents manage child cancer as well as granting them the necessary psychological peace (Wills, 2009). The recent aspect that has prompted me to contact this study was to ascertain; the state of parent-clinician communication in the medical field and forms implement to impart parents with the necessary information (Clarke & Neil, 2010).  The latter encompasses developments, which pediatricians have devised and stated as effective in their quest to impart parents with adequate knowledge regarding cancer, which is through leaflets besides utilizing electronic media (Rogers, 2011).       

• Relevance of the Study

The topic, which is about the support given to parents during their child’s long-term treatment, is among numerous duties that are within the area of my specialization. 

• Definitions

 The study utilizes the word “ailing” instead of “suffering”. Since the latter has a wide scope of definitions and implications compared to “ailing” whose meaning is about a disease’s state.