‘Grateful for the experience but not for the cancer.’ How young women experience cancer and what they learn from it

Abstract

The aim of this study is to shed light on the experience of young Icelandic women who have survived cancer and to discover the lessons they learned from that experience. This group is at a vulnerable stage in life when diagnosed with cancer, which indicates that the illness can have a great impact on their lives. The subject matter is viewed from the theoretical standpoint of positive psychology in regard to the relationship between trauma and happiness. Concepts from second wave positive psychology are also drawn upon, highlighting the coexistence of opposites, where happiness can include both joy and suffering. Moreover, the research builds on a theory of post-traumatic growth, based on the idea that experiencing trauma can possibly enhance personal growth and a meaningful life.

The participants were four young women who wrote about their experience during their cancer therapy and shared their writings, either on Instagram or in poems that were published. Their writing is the data underlying the research in addition to in-depth interviews with the same women a few years after recovery. This dual data source makes it possible to explore how the experience was lived at the time and how meaning was later reconstructed, offering rare insight into both immediate and retrospective sense-making. This is a qualitative study based on phenomenological analysis with a focus on how people give meaning to their lived experience. The findings of the research are presented in themes identified in the data.

The findings illustrate a complex process triggered by the trauma experienced by young women diagnosed with cancer. It reveals that their worldview collapsed following the illness, yet simultaneously highlights the valuable lessons learned from rebuilding their lives. Narratives and poetry from the period when these women became ill and grappled with their altered reality portray a chaotic experience marked by emotional turmoil and a breakdown of identity, which nevertheless provided opportunities for profound reconsideration. Their writings are characterised by vulnerability and authenticity while also emphasising positivity and resilience. It becomes clear that although a positive mindset is considered beneficial when confronting adversity, acknowledging genuine emotions and experiences remains crucial. Within narratives of painful experiences, themes of gratitude, love, and beauty become evident, suggesting that their experiences can indeed serve as pathways toward flourishing. This perspective aligns with concepts from second wave positive psychology, where opposites interact, and happiness encompasses both bright and dark aspects of life. Such happiness reflects a more nuanced reality than mere pleasure or contentment. Instead, it hinges on how life is lived despite the adversity and trauma inevitably present in most people’s lives.

Interviews conducted with these women after recovery reveal that their illness left a profound mark on their lives, imparting significant insights from difficult experiences, particularly regarding their connections to themselves, others, and life itself. These reflections extend beyond the immediate experience of illness and recovery, shaping long-term perspectives on meaning, priorities, and the fragility of existence. These findings corroborate recognised manifestations of post-traumatic growth established in earlier studies. Through the process of confronting cancer-related trauma, participants learned to listen to their inner voice and assert control over their lives. After facing the reality that life is not guaranteed, they reassessed relationships worth nurturing, identified their core values and how they wanted to live, and cultivated a clearer sense of direction for the future. They expressed gratitude for the lessons learned from their experiences, though not for the cancer itself.

This work is a contribution to Icelandic research in the field of post-traumatic growth and will hopefully draw the attention of other Icelandic researchers, practitioners, and the general public. Furthermore, the practical value of this research lies in a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the vulnerable position of young women diagnosed with cancer, and the research findings hopefully suggest possible avenues and strategies to better support and empower this group throughout recovery and beyond.