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A jeep trip with young adult cancer survivors

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Abstract

The paper describes major areas of concern and preferred coping mechanisms among 17 young survivors of childhood cancer who participated in an 8-day adventure jeep trip in Greece. The paper also deals with various aspects of "adventure therapeutic activity." The participants were videotaped and interviewed during and after the trip. The data gathered were studied through a process of content analysis. Survivors' main areas of concern included: coping with uncertainty, dependency versus autonomy, social exclusion, separation processes, body image, intimacy, sexuality and fertility, and occupation. Preferred coping styles included use of humor, religious beliefs, cognitive reframing, and use of imagination. The trip provided the young adults with an opportunity for physical challenges, and they reported improvements in self-confidence, independence, and social contacts. The trip served as a catalyst for further group activities and group support. An adventure trip seems to be a suitable therapeutic milieu for young adult cancer survivors, where they can profit from a nurturing setting in which rehabilitation-promoting resources are available. It still remains to be seen which components of such an activity are more health promoting, what contraindications there could be, if any, for participation in such a trip, and what role health professionals should play in this kind of activity.

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Notes

  1. In Israel, military service is considered to be part of the normative course of life for young persons of both sexes.

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Acknowledgements.

We are grateful to Mrs. M. Ziv of the Israeli Cancer Association for the support, to Mr. O. Gamlieli, who was the manager of the project and led it to its successful end, and to Mr. T. Goder for filming and producing the video-tape.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Services, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizman Street, 64239, Tel Aviv , Israel

    P. Elad & Y. Yagil

  2. The National Unit of Orthopedic Oncology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 64239, Tel Aviv , Israel

    P. Elad & I. Meller

  3. Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv , Israel

    Y. Yagil

  4. The Israeli Cancer Association, Givatayim, Israel

    L. Cohen

Authors
  1. P. Elad
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  2. Y. Yagil
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  3. L. Cohen
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  4. I. Meller
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to P. Elad or Y. Yagil.

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Elad, P., Yagil, Y., Cohen, L. et al. A jeep trip with young adult cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer 11, 201–206 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-002-0426-4

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