Behind Affliction, Battles, and Endurance (B.A.B.A.E.): Lived Experience of Women Diagnosed with Gynecologic Malignancies

Abstract

Behind Affliction, Battles and Endurance (B.A.B.A.E.) words that mirror how gynecologic malignancies significantly impact women's quality of life. A descriptive phenomenological study that explored the transition from being relied upon to becoming dependent on others of Filipino women living with gynecologic malignancies. In this sense, the lived experience of affliction and battles were encountered not only through bodily changes but also through the disruption of familiar ways of living and relating to others. Despite these disruptions, the narratives of participants revealed endurance through continued participation in daily life. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 women diagnosed with cancer in reproductive system and belong to lower-middle income households in an urban city located in the Philippines. The interview was conducted through the guide of a semi-structured questionnaire and is being electronically-recorded. These recordings are transcribed verbatim for each patient and used Colaizzi’s method for thematic analysis and presentation. Through their narratives, this study uncovers six themes; Disruption of Embodied Self and Roles, Existential Dread and Mortality Anxiety, Spiritual Reframing: Karma, Divine Purpose, and Impermanence, Physical Toxicity and Iatrogenic Strain, Financial Distress and Systemic Navigation, and Multidimensional Support and Active Endurance. A support program was proposed anchored on the findings of the study. Thereby, contributing to a quality public service delivery approach to women’s healthcare.