Existential feelings expressed by users of the house of support for people with cancer

Feelings shared by companions of cancer patients staying in hostel accommodation: a phenomenological study

“…In this way, the practices implemented in hostels take place and offer a differentiated treatment that promotes harmony and good relationships. 5,6,9 The findings of the present study revealed that "being welcomed" and "treated well" by the staff of the hostel, made the caregivers feel as well as they would in their own homes, raising the spirits of those who were suffering and soothing their anxious hearts about the facticity of the disease. This made these individuals see the institution as an exceptional place that deserved to be protected and graced with divine blessings so that it would endure eternally and, thus, receive everyone who needed it.…”

“…3,4 This reality limits services to hospitals and clinics with the necessary infrastructure for procedures most of which are found in highly populated cities. 5,6 Today, in Brazil, there are 284 specialized cancer care institutions distributed around the country, with referrals from the network of government healthcare clinics being the responsibility of state and municipal health departments. 7 In a large country such as Brazil, this structure constitutes a social, economic and psychological barrier as the frequent visits to therapeutic centers have a substantial impact on the lives on both the patient and their family.…”

“…7 In a large country such as Brazil, this structure constitutes a social, economic and psychological barrier as the frequent visits to therapeutic centers have a substantial impact on the lives on both the patient and their family. 8 This creates a need for support for people being treated outside their hometown with free hostel accommodation 5,6 and food and whenever possible transport to referral centers.…”

“…6 It is perceived in the statements of the interviewees that the hostel is their home-away-from-home; they referred to it with great affection and gratitude for the solicitude with which they were lodged. These feelings emerged from the humanized care provided by the staff, who were willing to build an empathetic and trusting relationship with the patient and caregiver at a time when they were fragile and in need of assistance that incorporated their existential dimensions.…”

Experience of people with advanced cancer faced with the impossibility of cure: a phenomenological analysis

“…Therefore, for people who live with the impossibility of curing a disease, faith is an important foundation of protection, which strengthens and nourishes them, providing support and hope, as well as peace and comfort, which helps them to accept the approach of their finitude. 23,24 It is important to highlight that, although spirituality and faith in a higher Being soften the impact of the aggravation of the disease, the suffering to be faced with the situation that impossibility for cure does exist. However, the power emanating from faith seems to rescue people from the murky waters that disease and hopelessness with life put them to navigate, providing them with the strength to emerge from this anguish and to glimpse possibilities.…”