"Understanding why she had to leave me": The roles of religion and spirituality in narratives of parents grieving the loss of a child to cancer.
Alexandra K Superdock, Mariela Trejo, Yenny Yang, Carlos Torres, Lindsay J Blazin, Justin N Baker, Holly L Spraker-Perlman, Erica C Kaye
Author Information
Alexandra K Superdock: Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Mariela Trejo: School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Yenny Yang: College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Carlos Torres: Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Lindsay J Blazin: Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Justin N Baker: Division of Quality of Life and Pediatric Palliative Care, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Holly L Spraker-Perlman: Department of Pediatrics, Divisions of Pediatric Palliative Care & Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Erica C Kaye: Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care, Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Religion and spirituality often influence how people experience illness, death, and grief. The roles of religion and spirituality for parents who have lost a child to cancer remain underexplored. This study aimed to describe how cancer-bereaved parents talk about religion and spirituality when reflecting on their experiences. Participants whose children died of cancer one to six years prior to participation completed a one-on-one semi-structured interview. Interview transcripts underwent qualitative analysis. Content pertaining to religion and/or spirituality underwent subsequent in-depth analysis to identify themes. Of 30 interviews analyzed, 28 contained religion/spirituality content. Four themes arose: (1) life after death, (2) divine control, (3) evolution of faith after loss, and (4) religious and spiritual interactions within the medical community. The absence of supports for religious and spiritual needs represents a gap in bereavement care. Future work should clarify needs and explore potential interventions.
References
Biochem Med (Zagreb). 2012;22(3):276-82
[PMID: 23092060]
J Pastoral Care Counsel. 2017 Dec;71(4):220-229
[PMID: 29224518]
Palliat Support Care. 2021 Oct;19(5):524-529
[PMID: 33239119]
Death Stud. 2024;48(10):1001-1014
[PMID: 37336784]
