title: The experience of grandmothers of children with cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to understand, from grandmothers' perspectives, the experience of having a grandchild with cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  qualitative study, guided by philosophical hermeneutics. Eight grandmothers of children who had finished an oncology treatment participated in this study. Data were collected through interviews, which were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed according to the principles of hermeneutics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the grandmothers underwent an experience of multiplied, silent, transformative, and permanent suffering. They believe it is their role to be present, but they recognize their adult children's independence and self-determination. Grandmothers highlighted that their experience has been very little accessed and considered by health care professionals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  we recommend including grandparents in the context of care and in additional research.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Márcia Chiaradia
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mendes-Castillo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem Materno-Infantil e Psiquiátrica, Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Regina Szylit
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Bousso
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D000066502:Grandparents / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms