title: Balancing Illness and Parental Demands: Coping With Cancer While Raising Minor Children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the cancer experience of parents and their perceptions of supportive strategies to assist them with illness- and family-related challenges.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative, descriptive design.
  
  
  METHODS
  A large McGill University-affiliated hospital cancer care center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five mothers and seven fathers aged 33-67 years with a first cancer diagnosis who received treatment at the cancer clinic within the previous year. Participants had to have at least one minor child living with them.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semistructured, audio-recorded interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three main categories emerged.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coping with cancer while raising children requires delicate balancing of illness and parenting demands. Tangible support systems must include access to childcare services, home healthcare services, and transportation solutions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Support for parenting needs is a key component of comprehensive cancer care. Oncology nurses should stay informed of all hospital, clinic, and community resources to facilitate access for parents. Unmet support needs indicate that improvements need to be made in access to medical appointments around family schedules, expanded resources for children, and reduction of wait times.
authors.affiliation: Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Quebec.
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rashi
authors.affiliation: Canadian Orthopaedic Association.
authors.forename: Trinity
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wittman
authors.affiliation: Ingram School of Nursing and Shriners Hospitals for Children-Canada.
authors.forename: Argerie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsimicalis
authors.affiliation: Ingram School of Nursing and McGill University Department of Oncology and the Segal Cancer Centre at Jewish General Hospital.
authors.forename: Carmen G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Loiselle
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D022143:Family Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011792:Quebec; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: child care; family-centered care; parents with cancer; psychosocial support; qualitative research