“Hope is the Indispensable Life Force”: A Qualitative Study of the Meaning of Hope in the Life Experiences of Lymphoma Patients

Abstract

Aim Although hope is considered to be of vital importance for cancer patients, it remains uncertain in lymphoma patients. This study aimed to examine the life experiences of patients with lymphoma and reveal the meaning of hope. Method A hermeneutic-phenomenological design was used in this study. 19 lympho¬ma patients who were receiving chemotherapy participated in interviews. Participants were selected through the purposive sampling method, and the interviews were audio-recorded. A phenomenological-hermeneutic approach was used to analyze the data. Results Three themes and 12 sub-themes emerged that summarized the life experiences of patients and the meaning of hope. These themes were as follows: ‘Being in existence’, ‘Hope is the indispensable life force’, and ‘There is always hope, but it varies’. Within the scope of the sub-themes, this study showed that there were changes in the physical and emotional well-being of participants and the importance of discovering the moment. This study, which reveals the meaning of hope as a “desire to return to routine, a bridge from now to the future”, emphasized that both the patients affect hope and the factors related to the disease. Conclusion This study revealed the changes in the physical and emotional well-being of lymphoma patients, the meaning of hope in their life experiences, and the factors affecting hope. It is thought that the findings obtained will contribute to the provision of psychosocial support and care planning by healthcare professionals to strengthen hope in lymphoma patients and may guide future studies.