It Still Isn't Over: A Mother's Experiences of Healing After Childhood Cancer

Abstract

This autoethnographic account explores my experiences of healing with my daughter and two sons after childhood cancer. My goal was to understand the disconnect between my experiences of persisting fear, grief and trauma and the contradictory messages we encountered during treatment that urged us to resume our ‘normal lives’ at the end of treatment. In analyzing my story, juxtaposed with other anthropologists’ narratives of their journey through cancer and beyond, I realized that my experiences were mediated by prevalent war metaphors in illness; the pervasive social and medical messages and expectations of restitution; as well as narrow biomedical un- derstandings of illness and healing. I offer up my story with the intention of bridging the divide between patients, their family, and medical professionals.