The experiences of caregives caring for children diagnosed with acute leukemia

Abstract

Being informed that your child has a form of childhood cancer such as acute leukemia can be devastating for any primary caregiver. The sudden changes that occur affect the receiver of this bad news to the extent that their world becomes focused on the sick child at the expense of the other family members. This study originated from the researcher’s need to gain insight into the experiences of caregivers looking after children diagnosed with acute leukemia. The caregiver could be the legal guardian of the child, the biological mother or the child’s grandmother. The aim of the study was to explore the caregivers’ daily experiences while they look after these sick children. The objectives also involved providing a broad overview of literature on acute leukemia as a childhood condition, exploring the experiences of caregivers for children diagnosed with acute leukemia and drawing conclusions and recommendations for improved social work intervention specifically for these caregivers. To explore the experiences of caregivers, the researcher conducted a phenomenological study as part of the qualitative research approach. The participants in the study were recruited by means of availability sampling when they brought their children for treatment. The data was collected by means of in-depth interviews in which ten (10) caregivers shared their experiences. The researcher was able to gain insight into the experiences of the caregivers while they were caring for the patients diagnosed with acute leukemia. The findings revealed that, while some of the participants had a good support system, others had far less support. Consequently they yearned for the support and physical presence of their family. The researcher found that the participants lived far away from the hospital, which hindered the family from making regular visits to the hospital. This disrupted the family system, because the focus fell mostly on the sick child. There were also major financial implications in caring for a sick child, and the participants’ children are all recipients of a welfare social relief grant. Copyright