Date of Award:
5-2025
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Communication Studies and Philosophy
Committee Chair(s)
Sydney O'Shay
Committee
Sydney O'Shay
Committee
Amanda Lilly
Committee
Jennifer Peeples
Abstract
Childhood cancer affects thousands of children and families in the United States, leaving lasting emotional, physical, and psychological impacts on survivors. This study includes interviews with 13 survivors of childhood cancer to explore messages that stuck with them over time from their cancer journey. Researchers identified five types of messages that were prominent: (a) helpful support, (b) battle metaphor, (c) hurtful, (d) diagnosis and (e) limitation. These messages influenced survivors' self-perception, relationships, attitudes towards cancer, views on mortality, sense of responsibility, need for control and commitment to helping others. The findings highlight important ways to improve communication in cancer care, including how diagnoses are delivered, how resilience is fostered, the trust or distrust of medical professionals, communication between parents and children, and the use of battle metaphors in communication about cancer.
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Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Hughlett, Bailey, "Understanding how Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer Narrate Their Lived Experience: Memorable Messages of Childhood Cancer Survivors" (2025). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present. 493.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd2023/493
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