"I Was There With Her": Experiences of Mothers of Women With Breast Cancer

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of mothers of breast cancer patients. The theory of health-related family quality of life informed data collection and data analysis. Thirty women were interviewed about their perceptions of family quality of life following their daughters' diagnoses. Themes included historical perspectives on cancer, familial role changes, determining how to best support daughters, mothers' support systems, mothers' coping mechanisms, and positive outcomes of daughters' breast cancer. Mothers also discussed the challenge of reconciling how different family members reacted to their relatives' diagnoses, treatment, and prognoses. Implications for research and practice are discussed.