Cancer And Families: An Article Review Essay Sample

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be an incredibly devastating thing, not only for the person who has received the diagnosis, but also for the family of the person who has received the diagnosis. Many people overlook the effect that cancer can have on the family of the affected individual, but at the end of the day, having a loved one living with limited time can be very detrimental to the mental health of the individuals within the family group. Children and intimate partners are often affected the most by a cancer diagnosis, but they often also feel as though they must remain strong so that the sick individual does not become depressed or worried about their mental state. When the person with cancer is a child, the parents of the child can easily be very heavily affected by the stress of the illness, both financially and emotionally.
In the article “Cancer and Families,” author Rebecca Clay examines some of the new ways in which psychologists and psychiatrists are helping families deal with the diagnosis of cancer. How families deal with a cancer diagnosis, according to Clay, is very dependent upon their relationship with the sick individual. Clay writes, “For the parents of children with cancer, for example, the result can be post-traumatic stress symptoms even years after their children have recovered. For partners, cancer can mean the end of sex as they knew it as well as plans for having children together. The relationship between cancer and family relationshipsmarital status and long-term survivorship linked in surprising ways.” In short, Clay’s thesis is that there are more problems presented by a cancer diagnosis than many people realize, and the problems that family units of any size face may be more than they can handle without outside assistance of some kind, where it is religious, therapeutic, or takes some other form.
Clay addresses three separate issues in her article regarding cancer and families. The first issue that Clay addresses is the issue of parents who have children that have been diagnosed with cancer. This is a very difficult issue for many parents, Clay states, and the age of the child that has received the cancer diagnosis can affect the ways in which the parents address the issue with the child. Very young children may pose different issues than teenagers, for instance, based on the amount that they can understand regarding the disease and the future that they are potentially faced with. Parents, she suggests, are also faced with the difficulty of dealing with their own emotional issues while simultaneously providing support for their child and presenting a united, strong support foundation for their child.
Parents may also face other, long-term issues whether their child survives the cancer or not. Research suggests that the feelings of helplessness associated with long-term sickness in a child can be extremely detrimental to an individual’s health, and cancer can be one of the worst issues that a parent can face in terms of long-term illness, regardless of their child’s prognosis. This is because the idea of “cancer,” varied and different as the types may be, is a heavy word in society. Being diagnosed with cancer does not mean the same thing it meant even a decade ago, but it can still be a psychologically difficult diagnosis to cope with for many people and their families. Psychologists are utilizing techniques similar to those used for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder to help families deal with the sickness and even the loss of children from cancer.
Another issue that couples may face when one of them is presented with a cancer diagnosis is the problem of sexual dysfunction. Many researchers suggest that sexual compatibility is extremely important in healthy, adult relationships, and that adults who are diagnosed with cancer are often unprepared to deal with the changes that this diagnosis may bring upon their relationship with their spouse or partner. Clay writes that long-term cancer treatment can cause physical problems in many people. Sometimes these physical problems manifest themselves as sexual dysfunction, which causes problems in relationships. She also writes that there is a dearth of information regarding sexual dysfunction provided to oncology patients. Better education for oncology staff is one of the things that Clay’s researchers suggest will help patients and their spouse or partner deal more effectively with the potential sexual dysfunction that arises as a result of cancer treatment or the stress of a diagnosis.
Similarly, studies have shown that individuals with a happy, supportive marriage are more likely to live longer after a cancer diagnosis. Support from a spouse or partner seems to be one of the driving factors for a better prognosis. For this reason, it is very important to provide cancer patients and their families with psychological and therapeutic support. They may need this type of support to make sure that their marriage or partnership can remain intact and better their chances for survival.
Gone are the days when medicine treated only the mind; today, most doctors and psychologists recognize that an individual’s ability to heal and survive is not only dependent upon the treatment that he or she receives, but also on his or her mental state.
A cancer diagnosis is difficult for everyone, and the difficulties of the people on the periphery of the affected individual may often be overlooked in the stress and panic of a cancer diagnosis. However, ensuring that family ties and support systems remain strong helps better the prognosis for the affected individual in the long run.