title: Transformation of tragedy among women surviving breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the process of how women with breast cancer attribute positive meaning to their illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, qualitative.
  
  
  METHODS
  Major metropolitan area in the southwestern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four women diagnosed with breast cancer within the past two years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data collected during semistructured interviews were coded and analyzed using Grounded Theory techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  Process and outcomes of ascribing positive meanings to cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The author observed a basic social-psychospiritual process of transforming personal tragedy. This process involved phases labeled as encountering darkness, converting darkness, encountering light, and reflecting light.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Varying degrees of positive meaning can be attributed to breast cancer. Encountering the darkness and moving through the other phases are normal and adaptive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognizing that positive meanings are independent of questions of causality but that encountering the darkness is necessary for transformation can help patients and nurses to face tragedy. Future research should seek to understand why some patients get "stuck" encountering or converting darkness.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA. ejtaylor@hsc.usc.edu
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*