This study aimed to understand the meanings attributed by parents regarding the cancer diagnosis of their children. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven parents of children affected by cancer who were being treated in a public hospital in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The data were interpreted by using content analysis, which allowed the creation of five categories, namely 1) the shock suspected diagnosis confirmation: "our lives stops, right?; The family "sicken together"; 2) the impacts and adaptations of the family during the diagnosis: the guilt, absence, and pain; 3) the meanings given by parents to the disease that affect their children; physical and emotional changes; 4) child's understanding of their illness and the "natural concern" of parents; and 5) prospects for the future. It was concluded that deep implications are raised by the family disease that affects the infant and the meanings given to illness confirm the treatment process as a cause of voltage source, professional and social disruptions, distress, and high stress for the entire family.
Psychology; Medical Oncology; Pediatrics; Diagnosis