Secular, Spiritual, and Religious Existential Concerns of Women with Ovarian Cancer during Final Diagnostics and Start of Treatment

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 Conclusions

To involve patient resources has become a mantra in health care, including within the context of cancer treatment and care. However, while this approach might sound obviously correct, implementing it in daily clinical practice has proven to be difficult.

Hope and courage to face life represent significant personal resources that are created not only in the interplay between body and mind but also between patients and their healthcare professionals. The overall finding that it was not simply the women’s physical bodies but rather their whole lives that became impacted by the disease and treatment highlighted the importance of maintaining a professional engagement and holistic approach from the beginning of treatment—in particular during highly specialised fast-track clinical regimes.

The women dealt with their hope dialectically so that hope and despair could be presented simultaneously. Experiencing personal comfort and strength can reinforce hope, and we find it fair to conclude that the patients’ inner resources thus can be activated and strengthened by adjusted information of the disease and its treatment, psychosocial support, and physical care right from the commencement of the treatment modalities.....


6. Implications for Clinical Practise

Based on the findings presented in this paper we suggest the following.

(i)That person-centred care is trained and implemented in oncology settings.
(ii)That healthcare professionals focus also on the general health and everyday lives of the patients during treatment.
(iii)That physical comfort and well-being are seen, not as excessive luxury but as important tools to sustain and strengthen hope and courage to face life during treatment.
(iv)That communication and cooperation during transitions are further developed and prioritized.
(v)That supportive followup and rehabilitation are offered as an integrated part of the treatment for patients in need of it.(
vi)That patients are given the opportunity to develop, share, and adjust their narratives of illness during their treatment trajectory.