Hope Against Hope in Cancer at the End of Life

• Published in: Journal of religion and health 2011-09, Vol.50 (3), p.731-742
• Main Authors: Pattison, Natalie A., Lee, Christopher
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Aging; Anecdotes as Topic; Attitude to Death; Cancer; Christianity; Clinical Psychology; Death; Death & dying; Emotions; Faith; Female; Health Personnel - psychology; Hope; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Lymphoma; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin - physiopathology; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin - psychology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Nurses; Oncology; Original Paper; Palliative care; Patients - psychology; Public Health; Religion & psychology; Religious Studies; Skin; Spiritual belief systems; Spirituality; Spouses - psychology; Terminally Ill - psychology
• ISSN: 0022-4197; 1573-6571
• DOI: 10.1007/s10943-009-9265-7

Hope has many facets to it in the context of cancer. This article outlines an instrumental case study for a patient with aggressive lymphoma who rapidly deteriorated to the point of dying. How her and her family's hope was managed is outlined here from various perspectives. Interviews were carried out with the patient's family, medical consultant-in-charge (attending physician) and nurses caring for her at the end of life. The findings outline the transition from hope for cure to hope for a good death and the role that the patient and family's Christian hope played in this. Religiosity and spirituality of hope in terms of Christian hope is explored from the theological perspective. Practical aspects of care in the face of changing hope are discussed. Conclusions are drawn about re framing hope in a changing clinical situation with reference to theories of hope. The importance of acknowledging hope, coping, spirituality and religiosity, especially at end of life, is emphasised.