“TOGETHER WE ARE UNBEATABLE”: young sisters’ narration of a sibling’s cancer in personal blogs on the internet
Purpose: Siblings of children and young people diagnosed with cancer are commonly reluctant to talk about their experiences due to the circumstances of the illness situation. This article aims to bring voice to experience and inform practice by investigating what and how three young sisters narrate...
Main Authors: | , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2019-01-01
|
Series: | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2019.1586625 |
_version_ | 1797336045366280192 |
---|---|
author | Anneli Silvén Hagström Teolinda Toft |
author_facet | Anneli Silvén Hagström Teolinda Toft |
author_sort | Anneli Silvén Hagström |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Purpose: Siblings of children and young people diagnosed with cancer are commonly reluctant to talk about their experiences due to the circumstances of the illness situation. This article aims to bring voice to experience and inform practice by investigating what and how three young sisters narrate about their illness experiences in personal blogs on the Internet. Methods: A narrative methodology for the analysis of life storytelling was applied primarily to investigate the sister’s coping strategies and support needs. Results: The results show how the sisters constructed their own space for narration, with the main aims of expressing their feelings about the illness and seeking social support. The telling of their experiences along with encouraging comments from a supportive audience enabled a change in position from feeling neglected and silenced to being a recognized agent and caring sister. In addition, through their narrative coping the sisters went from powerless to powerful in their position in relation to cancer. Conclusion: The results highlight the need for siblings to be able to narrate experience in a supportive context, where the processing of their relationship with the ill sister/brother should be understood as an important element of their coping with cancer and death. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-08T08:47:21Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-8281451051924d46a3a0f9fd35e800e3 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1748-2623 1748-2631 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-08T08:47:21Z |
publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
record_format | Article |
series | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being |
spelling | doaj.art-8281451051924d46a3a0f9fd35e800e32024-02-01T14:39:34ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being1748-26231748-26312019-01-0114110.1080/17482631.2019.15866251586625“TOGETHER WE ARE UNBEATABLE”: young sisters’ narration of a sibling’s cancer in personal blogs on the internetAnneli Silvén Hagström0Teolinda Toft1University of GävleUppsala UniversityPurpose: Siblings of children and young people diagnosed with cancer are commonly reluctant to talk about their experiences due to the circumstances of the illness situation. This article aims to bring voice to experience and inform practice by investigating what and how three young sisters narrate about their illness experiences in personal blogs on the Internet. Methods: A narrative methodology for the analysis of life storytelling was applied primarily to investigate the sister’s coping strategies and support needs. Results: The results show how the sisters constructed their own space for narration, with the main aims of expressing their feelings about the illness and seeking social support. The telling of their experiences along with encouraging comments from a supportive audience enabled a change in position from feeling neglected and silenced to being a recognized agent and caring sister. In addition, through their narrative coping the sisters went from powerless to powerful in their position in relation to cancer. Conclusion: The results highlight the need for siblings to be able to narrate experience in a supportive context, where the processing of their relationship with the ill sister/brother should be understood as an important element of their coping with cancer and death.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2019.1586625blogcopinggriefidentityinternetsibling’s cancersisters narrationstigmatizationtraumayouth |
spellingShingle | Anneli Silvén Hagström Teolinda Toft “TOGETHER WE ARE UNBEATABLE”: young sisters’ narration of a sibling’s cancer in personal blogs on the internet International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being blog coping grief identity internet sibling’s cancer sisters narration stigmatization trauma youth |
title | “TOGETHER WE ARE UNBEATABLE”: young sisters’ narration of a sibling’s cancer in personal blogs on the internet |
title_full | “TOGETHER WE ARE UNBEATABLE”: young sisters’ narration of a sibling’s cancer in personal blogs on the internet |
title_fullStr | “TOGETHER WE ARE UNBEATABLE”: young sisters’ narration of a sibling’s cancer in personal blogs on the internet |
title_full_unstemmed | “TOGETHER WE ARE UNBEATABLE”: young sisters’ narration of a sibling’s cancer in personal blogs on the internet |
title_short | “TOGETHER WE ARE UNBEATABLE”: young sisters’ narration of a sibling’s cancer in personal blogs on the internet |
title_sort | together we are unbeatable young sisters narration of a sibling s cancer in personal blogs on the internet |
topic | blog coping grief identity internet sibling’s cancer sisters narration stigmatization trauma youth |
url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2019.1586625 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT annelisilvenhagstrom togetherweareunbeatableyoungsistersnarrationofasiblingscancerinpersonalblogsontheinternet AT teolindatoft togetherweareunbeatableyoungsistersnarrationofasiblingscancerinpersonalblogsontheinternet |