Hope, a 30 x 40 inch acrylic painting, is an aesthetic interpretation of data obtained from rural families experiencing neutropenia as a result of cancer therapy. The painting expresses the whole of this challenging situation and is informed by the artist and researchers who conducted a qualitative inquiry entitled “Understanding the Family Experience of Neutropenia".
The family is together on one long couch. The storm outside represents the turbulent times caused by neutropenia. However, slivers of light continue to stream in and the storm does not destroy the family's hope. The shattered glass in the window represents treatment disruption and the grandfather clock depicts time standing still while waiting for neutropenia to resolve.
In the center of the painting, the family member with cancer is confined to a separate square on the couch, and dressed in white symbolizing innocence and neediness. Nonspecific faces represent differing family experiences, diverse family types and changing family roles and relationships. Various out of perspective features, such as the twisted legs and thin, elongated arms, represent pain and yearning throughout the cancer experience.
This scholarly work is significant because it enriches the nurse's understanding of the experience of the family unit. With this holistic understanding, interventions to enhance family caring can be developed that are sensitive to the idea that families uniquely move through the neutropenic episode. Nursing approaches created from this perspective will embrace the humanity of healthcare, support the building of diverse relationships and honor the family as a significant partner in care.
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