Objectives/purpose
To investigate how individuals with ovarian cancer interpret and identify with the term ‘survivor,’ and whether this impacts their uptake of survivorship services, as well as their feelings of inclusion post-treatment within the Australian healthcare context.
Sample and setting
18 Australian individuals with an experience of ovarian cancer, of varying ages (aged 40-72, M = 57), stages at diagnosis and treatment experiences, were recruited.
Procedures
Semi-structured interviews were conducted and Braun and Clarke's method of reflexive thematic analysis was utilised. A social identity theory lens and social constructionist framework were also implemented to analyse data.
Results
Two primary themes emerged: 1) ‘But I live in hope’: How social constructs of the term ‘survivor’ impact its meaning and inclusion into self-identity, and 2) ‘Forgotten or excluded: The realities of care after treatment,’ with the subtheme ‘Advocacy and growth: Subversion from exclusion.’ Participants largely rejected the ‘survivor’ identity due to its associations with finality, compounded by the lack of routinely offered support services. In response to this exclusion, participants created their own support and advocacy groups, redefining their identities beyond the ‘survivor’ narrative through social creativity processes, and fostering connection, purpose, and psychological well-being.
Conclusion and clinical implications
These findings highlight the need to rethink cancer-related language and support services. Recognising the diverse and personal nature of cancer experiences there should be greater flexibility in how identities are expressed and supported. Services must adopt a personalised, chronic-illness-style approach, with tailored post-treatment care plans as standard. Promoting access to professional support, advocacy groups, and peer connections can enhance well-being with social prescribing offering a promising method to reduce isolation, connect individuals with resources, and improve the appropriateness of service use.