The aim of this study was to describe, by means of explorative interviews, the experiences of relatives of male family members suffering from testicular cancer. The central questions concerned how the disease and its treatment affected the life of the family, how its daily routines were affected, the form of relationships and closeness during the period of the disease, and how the future was given shape. The results revealed four main themes presented by the relatives during the interviews: the disease and its course, normalization, the long-term consequences of the disease, and the social network. The results showed that relatives of men suffering from cancer live in a vulnerable situation characterized by social isolation.
Tijdschrift beschrijving