title: The treatment of childhood cancer: unveiling the experience of parents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to understand the experiences of parents of children and adolescents with cancer undergoing treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  qualitative research, based on Heidegger's existential phenomenology, in which 13 parents of eight patients under 19 years of age, assisted by a charity association, were interviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  three topics resulted from the analysis: "Experiencing the unpleasantness of the treatment"; "Fearing the possibility of a frightening situation" and "Experiencing the carelessness of another person". It was showed that during and after the treatment, the parents experience the fear of the unknown and the uncertainty of the future of their children, especially as they witness the death of other children; they also experience the indifference of professionals working in the local healthcare units and feel helpless and insecure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is essential that the healthcare professionals, particularly the nurses, reflect about their care actions focused on the parents of children with cancer, recognizing their existential needs with the purpose of assisting them in their situation.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Estadual do Paraná, Paranavaí, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriella Michel dos Santos
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Benedetti
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mara Lúcia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Garanhani
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Catarina Aparecida
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sales
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult