The Experiences Of Young Adult Cancer Survivors Resuming An Occupation

Abstract

Young adulthood is generally a time when an individual completes a post-secondary education, decides on a career, and enters the workforce. When individuals are diagnosed with cancer during this stage in life, they often take time away from school or work to undergo treatment. The aim of this study was to collect data to get a richer understanding of the experiences of young adult cancer survivors who resumed an occupation of school or work following cancer treatment. Ten young adult cancer survivors were interviewed. An interpretative phenomenological approach allowed for the study of individuals’ lived experiences. An account of participants’ experiences is presented, organized by 4 master themes, “making the decision”, “actively adapting to changed lives”, “receiving support”, and “renewed sense of health and wellness”. These findings may be informative for cancer patients and survivors, as well as stakeholders, as they often have access to limited resources.