Self-Portraits of Families with Young Adult Cancer Survivors: Using Photovoice

Abstract

Photovoice is a participatory research methodology in which individuals photograph their everyday realities. The present study used photovoice to understand the impact of cancer on a sample of six young adult survivors of childhood cancer (YACS) and their family members. The themes of the YACS group included, in their own words, “lost childhood,” “my culture,” “health,” “what keeps me going/sacrifices,” and “who am I?” Those of the family group included “how cancer affected survivors' hopes and dreams?,” “positive impact of cancer,” “importance of information,” “barriers to self-care,” and “what we learned and what we can do.” The family-based and participants-driven framework and photovoice produced some novel findings that call for YACS-targeted guidance and training on social relationships, independence, and career; support for the families from family-oriented cultures; and facilitation of family dialogue.

KEYWORDS:

• photovoice
• cancer survivorship
• young adult cancer survivors
• families of cancer survivors

This study was partially funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, R03.