Kudos to Heeyeon Son and her mentor Sharron Docherty for the submission of their American Cancer Society Student Scholarship application entitled: “Family Communication in Pediatric Palliative Care in Korea.” This proposal requests funding for a two-year period with a start date of July 1, 2018.

In clinical settings, the importance of effective communication between health care providers and pediatric cancer patients and their families is well acknowledged. However, the importance of communication between patients and their families is neglected. In Korea, most families of pediatric cancer patients struggle to have effective communication within the family. This disrupted family communication is a large barrier to delivering quality care to for children with cancer and their families. Sometimes, the diagnosis is delayed or the children missed optimal timing for treatment. Sometimes children faced end-of-life without opportunity to discuss their thoughts and wishes, which causes great suffering  These tragic experiences guided this research to focus on communication issues between child with cancer and their parents.

Ineffective communication regarding cancer has negative effects on children and their families, while open and clear communication improves outcomes. Specifically, cultural difference is one of the biggest factors affecting the communication pattern in family. For health care providers, it is also important to be culturally competent and sensitive to promote effective communication within family.

Most Korean parents are reluctant to communicate with their children about their cancer, prognosis, treatments, or death resulting in isolation, fear, and emotional distress. This significant problem needs attention from scientists to improve quality of life of pediatric cancer patients and their families.

Although this proposed research targets Korean pediatric cancer patients and their families, findings may be helpful to understand cultural differences in other Eastern cultures Cultural differences are one of the most important factors to be considered when developing interventions. This research will provide understanding regarding pediatric cancer patients and their families from minority cultures in USA and also those who come to the USA for cancer treatment.  Furthermore, this proposed research has potential to help health care providers in clinical setting, families of pediatric cancer patients and children with cancer to realize the importance of clear and open, effective family communication. By identifying obstacles for effective family communication in pediatric oncology setting, research findings will provide a foundation to develop guidelines to improve current nursing interventions for better patient outcomes and enhance resilience of pediatric cancer patients throughout their life. 

I decided to dedicate myself to do nursing research to improve the quality of life of pediatric cancer patients and their families.  This research would be the first step to improve the communication and quality of life of pediatric cancer patients and their families. Based on the findings from this research study, I will develop clinical interventions to improve family communication between children with cancer and their parents.