title: The lived experiences of aboriginal adolescent survivors of childhood cancer during the recovering process in Taiwan: A descriptive qualitative research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of Taiwanese aboriginal adolescent survivors of childhood cancer during the process of recovery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A snowball sampling strategy was used to recruit participants from the pediatrics unit of a medical center in the eastern region of Taiwan. In-depth interviews were conducted with 11 aboriginal adolescent childhood cancer survivors. The data were analyzed using content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed three major themes with subthemes within each theme. The three major themes are: roots of resilience, transformation and growth, and meaning of traditional rituals for resilience. The three subthemes within "roots of resilience" include: "feeling secure through company of family, care and financial support", "receiving support from the important others and religion" and "learning to self-adjust". The three subthemes revealed within "transformation and growth" are: restructuring the relationship with peers, "appreciating parents' hard work", and "learning to seize the moment". The two subthemes within "meaning of traditional rituals to resilience" include: "feeling blessed with the power of ancestral spirits" and "strengthening ethnic identity".
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provided insight into the experiences of aboriginal adolescents as they recovered from childhood cancer. The experiences made positive impacts by inspiring growth in maturity and consolidating aboriginal ethnic identity. The adolescents were empowered by support from family, friends and clansmen, and by their participation in aboriginal rituals. As healthcare professionals care for the aboriginal adolescents, it is critical to consider this culturally and ethnically specific knowledge/experience of surviving cancer to improve quality of care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, No. 707, Sec. 3, Chung Yang Rd., Hualien 970, Taiwan. Electronic address: eva680210@tzuchi.com.tw.
authors.forename: Ya-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Cedarville University, 251 N. Main St., Cedarville, OH 45314, USA. Electronic address: huangc@cedarville.edu.
authors.forename: Chu-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, 365 Ming-te Rd, Peitou District, Taipei City, 11219, Taiwan. Electronic address: weiwen@ntunhs.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Wei-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Department of Nursing, Tzu Chi University, No. 707, Sec. 3, Chung Yang Rd., Hualien 970, Taiwan. Electronic address: scchang@mail.tcu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Shu-Chuan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Allied Health Education, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, 365 Ming Te Road, Peitou, Taipei City 112, Taiwan. Electronic address: hsiehjane@ntunhs.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee-Hsieh
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, 365 Ming-te Rd, Peitou District, Taipei City, 11219, Taiwan. Electronic address: shuyuan@ntunhs.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Shu-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, 365 Ming-te Rd, Peitou District, Taipei City, 11219, Taiwan. Electronic address: sufen@ntunhs.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Su-Fen
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010290:Parents; D036301:Qualitative Research; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D013624:Taiwan
keywords: Aboriginal adolescent; Childhood cancer survivor; Culture care; Recovering process