Women's experiences of breast cancer

Abstract

This thesis explores how women cope emotionally with breast cancer and how they eventually rebuild their lives in the aftermath of this traumatic experience. I describe how women experience the health system, and attempt to determine how services can be improved to be more responsive to their needs. The supports that helped the women most to come to terms with their diagnoses and aided their recovery, both inside and outside the system are identified. This topic is approached from a feminist qualitative viewpoint. Women's experiences are documented via their own voices, with data collected by a series of taped conversational interviews with thirteen participants. The thesis encompasses the broad areas of discovery and diagnosis, reactions of family and friends, treatment and options, side effects, body image, prosthesis and reconstruction, support received, reintegration and quality of life, and political action. Implications for social work practice are explored and conclusions drawn about the possible role for social workers.