Abstract

REZENDE, Adryene Milanez; SCHALL, Virgínia Torres  and  MODENA, Celina Maria. Being a teenager and becoming sick: teens living with cancer. Aletheia [online]. 2009, n.30, pp. 88-100. ISSN 1413-0394.

This article aims to describe living experience of a teenager with cancer, discussing the importance of the Support House in assisting the patient on his path. The research is based on a case report of this teenager who is suffering from a brain tumor and treated Brazilian Unified Health System and lodged at the Support House. In a phenomenological perspective, interviews and drawings of the experience were used for the description of the experiences. The results indicate strategies of dealing with cancer in association with being adolescent. The Support House provides assistance and helps to construct social contacts. In conclusion the necessity of creating programs for these patients was found, considering the difficulties and complexity of living both processes, i.e. the period of adolescence and suffering from cancer.

Keywords : Cancer; Adolescent; Teenager; Support home.

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