Re-entering life : paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia at one year post treatment

To date, there is scant psycho-social research on the experience of childhood AML. This article presents findings from the perspective of the child patients, their parents and siblings at one year post-treatment. The findings highlight challenges associated with re-entering life post-treatment with an emphasis on the ongoing sense of uncertainty, the changed sense of normalcy, and the difficulty of returning to the hospital for check-ups. A number of recommendations are made including the desirability of providing hospital space for check-ups away from the teatment area and the need for ongoing reassurance and support.