Suffering as a multicultural cancer experience.

OBJECTIVE

To highlight some of the explicit and implicit assumptions that contribute to suffering focusing on the socio-political and economic dimensions of the problem and the spiritual/religious dimension as one solution.

DATA SOURCES

Journal articles, web sites and qualitative research data, and personal experience.

CONCLUSION

The nature of suffering is such that sometimes we are not able to rationalize it, or find any meaning in it. But, one can still find resources in faith and community, and by other means that may not make sense to an outside observer.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

For many people, suffering goes beyond the diagnosis of cancer. Faith and community can function as resources that help individuals to cope with this diagnosis despite the circumstances of their lives.