From mother to patient

the experience of motherhood in the context of cancer

Abstract

The diagnosis of  cancer causes a crisis for the patient and his family. This impact  is  exacerbated  when  the  patients  are  mothers,  as  the  treatment  affects  the experience of motherhood. This study aimed to describe the experiences of women in relation to motherhood in the context of hospitalization for cancer. This is a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive and cross-sectional study, in which six women with children aged 3 to 9 years were interviewed. The results showed changes in motherhood after this diagnosis. Being a mother emerged as a central aspect of the participants' lives, with  children  being  considered  the  greatest  motivation  for  coping  with  the  disease. Mothers  demonstrated  to  be  strongly  bonded  to  their  children  and  perceived  goodsocial support. It highlighted the difficulty of fulfilling the tasks of motherhood during treatment and the need of health professionals to assist patients in fulfilling these tasks, as far as possible in this context.