THE JOURNEY OF SALUBRIOUS WOMEN WITH CANCER: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY

Abstract

Cancer is a deadly disease that affects many people, particularly people exercising unhealthy lifestyle. But there are people who practice a healthy lifestyle and yet stricken with cancer. One of them is the salubrious women who exercise, healthy living and are not involved in any forms of bad habits such as smoking and drinking. The researcher explored the lived experiences of these cancer patients utilizing a qualitative descriptive phenomenological study design. Colaizzi’s seven-step method of data analysis was used. The results revealed three emerging themes emanated from the lived experiences of salubrious women diagnosed with cancer. The first theme was the innocence experience which emanates from the passive, denial, and destitute experiences. The second theme is the ignorance experience which was derived from apathetic, chiding, and accepting experiences.  And the third theme is the advancing experience, which arouse from the past, extant, and hoping experiences. Their experiences showed how they coped up with cancer and how they hope that they will recover from the physical and emotional distress affecting their lives. Their journey encompassed their worries and norms on their diagnosis through resisting what can hinder their wellness and spring back to living.