A Study on Family Members’ Experiences of Loss Before the Death of a Terminal Cancer Patient*

Abstract

In South Korea, the loss, sorrow, and grief experienced by patients’ family members in the period from the diagnosis of terminal cancer to the passing of the patients and thereafter have not been studied systematically. The present study, which addresses this gap in existing research, reexamined the in-depth interview data collected from family members caring for terminal cancer patients. The data was analyzed using a phenomenological methodology with a view to uncovering the aspects of anticipatory grief that are present in the social and cultural context of South Korea. Study participants tended to avoid exposing their grief to the dying family member and to ignore the imminent death. In the process of palliative care, they expressed existential, emotional, and relational dimensions of grief. Some of the study participants reported that in the process of caring for a sick family member, changes arose in their perception of, and attitudes toward, life and death. In addition, the study found significant aspects of the anticipatory grief in that participants also received comfort from their relationship with the dying family member, and they expressed strong feelings of resentment toward, and dissatisfaction with, the attending physicians. It is hoped that these findings will contribute to more informed approaches to death education for patients, their family members, and physicians.