Spiritual Care and Cancer

What is spirituality?

• The ways individuals seek and express meaning and purpose.
• How individuals experience connectedness to a moment, to their being, to their relationships, to the world around them, to the sacred, and to god/higher power.
• Our spiritual beliefs and practices are highly individual.
• Expressed in many ways including:
  • Attending organized religious/spiritual services or activities
  • Prayer
  • Meditation
  • Creative expression (i.e. music, art)

Serious illness can change the way we answer "the big questions."

• Who am I?
• What is life all about?
• Do I have a purpose?
• Why am I here?
• Why is this happening to me?
• Why is there suffering?

What are some common spiritual concerns when facing a cancer diagnosis/treatment?

• Mortality
  • Am I going to die?
• Identity
  • Who am I?
  • What is important to me?
  • What will I become?
  • What does life mean to me?
• Loss, grief, and mourning: Loss is common throughout the cancer experience:
  • Loss of ability to work.
  • Loss of hair.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Loss of energy.
  • Loss of fertility.
  • Loss of future plans
  • Loss of life.
• Spirituality and religion can help us grieve for that which is lost.
• Spirituality and religion can also help us discover what can be gained.
• Maintaining Hope
  • Maintaining optimism
  • Miracles
  • Re-framing hope: If cure or control is not possible, what is the next best thing to hope for?

What are some symptoms of spiritual distress?

• A concern with the meaning of life and death and/or belief system.
• Anger towards God/the Ultimate (as defined by the individual).
• Questioning the meaning of suffering.
• Verbalizing inner conflicts about beliefs.
• Verbalizing concern about our relationship with God/ the 'Ultimate' (as defined by the individual).
• Questioning the meaning of one's own existence.
• Changing usual religious or spiritual practices.
• Displacement of anger onto religious/spiritual support persons, caregivers, and family members.
• Increased anger, crying, hostility, withdrawal, and apathy.
• Viewing illness as a punishment.

What are the benefits of addressing spiritual concerns and incorporating spiritual practices into my cancer care plan?

• Can assist with adjustment to your cancer diagnosis and its treatment.
• Increases quality of life.
• Provides a sense of strength and belonging.
• Highlights the potential for growth.
• Provides a positive outlet for hope.
• Helps to address "unfinished business" and repair fractured relationships.
• Provides an opportunity for a life review.
• Offers a sense of inner peace.

Who can help me address spiritual or religious distress in my cancer experience?

• A religious leader from a church, mosque, synagogue, or other institution.
• A spiritual guide.
• A spiritual care professional at your treatment center.
• Other healthcare team members including your doctor, nurses, and social worker.
• Your family and friends.