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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Jan 3.
Published in final edited form as: Bone Marrow Transplant. 2020 Jan 28;55(6):1103–1113. doi: 10.1038/s41409-020-0794-8

Table 4.

Hopes: Codes, Definitions, Frequencies and Sample Content for the question/prompt - “What are you hoping for?” & “What else are you hoping for?”

Code Definition Family Overall (n=100) Parent (n=100) Patient (n=28) Sample Content
Cure cancer free; disease will be gone; an end to being sick; complete recovery or remission; treatment gets rid of cancer; the patient will be healed 83 (83%) 78 (78%) 7 (25%) Cured, disease completely gone, cancer free, things will be okay, overcoming disease, sickness goes away, treatment is effective/works
Return to Normalcy getting back to the patient’s and/or family’s typical state and previous life activities 22 (22%) 17 (17%) 9 (32.1%) Going back to school, playing sports again, getting back to a normal life, being a normal kid
Regain Health A freedom from illness, cancer complications, and disability; the body getting better or healing 26 (26%) 23 (23%) 3 (10.7%) Free of complications, no long-term problems, active, no more hospital visits, never having to do treatment again, going home without cancer
Rapid recovery / return home returning to a healthy state quickly; minimal time with complications associated with cancer or treatment; leaving the hospital shortly after transplant; returning to and reuniting as a family 30 (30%) 24 (24%) 6 (21.4%) Treatment going quickly, feeling better fast, full and complete healing, getting out of hospital, reuniting with family, getting treatment over with, going home
Few side effects / complications the avoidance of symptoms including but not limited to pain, nausea, fever, or infections during the treatment process; feeling well throughout transplant; minimizing adverse reactions/complications 36 (36%) 32 (32%) 5 (17.9%) Not getting too sick, feeling good, not getting worse, few complications, pain free, not attached to machines, not intubated, no GVHD, successful engraftment
Easy transplant Minimal complications; unremarkable hospital stay; gentle and successful transplant; keeping a regular routine and/or regular activities throughout transplant 33 (33%) 28 (28%) 7 (25%) Smooth transplant process, everything goes well, it is not too bad, uneventful time, hopes for art activities during transplant, wanting to be a part of routine to minimize change
Family wellbeing Wanting the best for the family, financially providing for family, fortitude to withstand transplant as a family 5 (5%) 3 (3%) 2 (7.1%) Family being safe and healthy, staying on their feet, financial stability, hoping to get a VISA to work in the country, maintaining strength