How do seriously ill patients find existential meaning in their lives? : tales of hope and resilience

Abstract

The research question pertaining to this study is “How do seriously ill patients find existential meaning in their lives? - Tales of hope and resilience.” The aim of this study was to faithfully and holistically capture the lived experience of people suffering from a serious illness whilst simultaneously examining how they are able to surmount their initial misfortunes and live a fulfilling life. The methodology used in this study was Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 1990). IPA strives to explore phenomenon such as the illness experience, ‘as is’, through the study of small meaningful groups whilst also allowing the researcher the freedom to interpret the results (Smith, 1990) Eight participants were recruited and interviewed in depth using a semi-structured interview guide. The experiences of these participants were brought to light through the two superordinate themes of ‘The Illness Experience’ and ‘Coping and Resilience.’ The former portrayed the hardships seriously ill people underwent as a result of their illness, whilst the latter illustrates how such individuals are able to cope with their experience. It is my hope that my study may serve to inspire ill and non-ill people alike, to live a richer, more fulfilling life whilst simultaneously giving a voice to this admirable population. Relevant, Implications and recommendations for practice are suggested.