Life is precious: Sarcoma/giant-cell tumors survivors' perspectives on their psychological journey

Abstract

Objectives: Although surviving bone resection/limb salvage surgery treatment is the beginning of the journey towards recovery, the importance of providing patients with post-operative psychological support is often overlooked by health professionals. Hence, patients typically are left to their own devices in terms of ensuring their mental health and well-being.

Methodological Approach and Participants: This qualitative analysis of seven long-term sarcoma survivors’ reflective journal entries provides insights into the different phases of distress, resilience building, resilient growth and advice-giving that they moved through during their survivorship journey.

Interpretation: Our findings identify the fragility of patient resilience and highlight areas for future research.

Keywords:

• 2-year post-operative period
• diagnostic distress
• long-term sarcoma survivorship
• psychological journey
• survivors’ resilient growth

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Johanna Sewell Sarcoma Research Grant.