Hope in adolescents with cancer

The purpose of this study was to describe hope from the perspective of an adolescent with cancer. The data was collected using individual interviews with six adolescents aged between 16 and 21 years and analyzed using qualitative content analysis based on Ricouer's hermeneutic philosophy. The hope of adolescents having cancer is two dimensional: intentional hope directed towards something and hope experienced as an inner resource. The hope of adolescents was enhanced by factors related to their experiences and social network and factors situated between these two groups of factors. Factors repressing hope in adolescents were burdens that concern adolescent's feelings, knowledge and body.