Hope pictured in drawings by patients newly diagnosed with advanced cancer

Abstract

Background: Hope is an integral part of a dying person's needs and an important phenomenon that has not been satisfactorily explored. The tension between hope for a cure and the reality of being terminally ill is a paradox, which in the context of palliative cancer care, nurses and health care professionals must take into consideration. Objective:The purpose of this study was to elucidate the phenomenon of hope and to investigate the lived experiences of hope among newly diagnosed patients with advanced cancer. Method:The study used a phenomenological-visual method where drawings and post-drawing interviews were used. The participants were six patients who recently had been offered specialised palliative care treatment. They were five women and one man with different cancer diagnoses and between 30 and 82 years of age (median 65 years). The data consisted of six drawings and individual post-drawing interviews with the participants. The study was reported using the COREQ checklist. Results:The study revealed one main concern 'Being in hope' and hope appeared in four different dimensions; internal, external, relational and transcendental.Hopelessness was present at all times. Conclusion:Hope pictured in drawings was expressed through colour, shape, lines, symbols and metaphors, and hope incorporated internal, external, relational and transcendental aspects. Hope was constantly fighting against hopelessness and hope integrated with past, present and future.Relevance to clinical practice: Drawings, as well as other visual representations, are suitable tools when trying to understand an ineffable phenomenon such as hope experienced by people newly diagnosed with cancer.

A picture of hope: From the perspective of adolescents with cancer—A phenomenological‐visual qualitative study

“…They also viewed acceptance as a form of intrinsic support. This finding echoes a similar study on adults with cancer, where hope was defined as the interpretation and acceptance of life events (Hammer et al, 2023).…”

“…They universally perceived hope as "an inherent power within every human being." This aligns with several qualitative studies on hope, often characterized as an inner energy or force (Bennett et al, 2022;Ebrahimpour et al, 2021;Hammer et al, 2023).…”

“…understand the use of these metaphors and their meanings in communication with adolescents, especially in the context of chronic illnesses like cancer that profoundly affect both the adolescents and their family (Capurso et al, 2021;Plage, 2020). In parallel, a study focusing on adults with advanced cancer revealed a similar tendency to metaphorically associate hope with elements of nature (Hammer et al, 2023).…”

Using the draw and tell method with adolescents as part of an interpretive descriptive study

“…Although it is more likely that drawings are used with child interview participants, there is a growing body of knowledge on the use of this approach with adults, yielding promising results (e.g. Hammer et al .’s (2022) phenomenological study on cancer diagnosis or Nguyen et al .’s (2019) study on reproductive health care experiences of people with physical disabilities in Vietnam).…”

Investigating hope in oral health promotion for adolescents: an exploratory study based on observations at the dental clinic

“…Feeling hope and being hopeful can offer a positive outlook and a sense of empowerment, especially in challenging situations. For example, hope has become recognized as a vital aspect of nursing care for individuals facing chronic or complex illnesses ( 20 , 21 ). The study by Paramos et al ( 20 ) provides a comprehensive list of interventions to foster hope and their corresponding evidence-based outcomes.…”