A Balancing Act: Working and Caring for a Child with Cancer

Abstract Parenting a child with cancer creates numerous additional care demands that may lead to increased difficulties in balancing work and family responsibilities. Still, there is limited knowledge of how parents cope both parenthood paid after child’s diagnosis. The aim the study was explore mothers’ fathers’ experiences dual roles following Nine focus groups total 32 children Sweden were conducted. data analysed using qualitative content analysis. Three categories identified: Shifts importance parent role role, Influence context conditions on balance roles, Long-term unbalance roles. Parents expressed an appreciation time spent family, but also emphasized counterbalance sometimes overwhelming parenting demands. pre-existing financial situation, employer behaviour important factors influencing parents’ ability family. Traditional gender influenced couples divided responsibilities reflected their experiences. Mothers fathers met different expectations, which highlights need for healthcare consider communication caregivers. Importantly, illness affected long time, while understanding support from others had steadily declined. Enabling ill without sacrificing own career utmost importance, future research should identifying facilitate achieve sustainable work-life balance.