“What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger”: The Intersection of Breast Cancer Survival and Divorce

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in women, and has profound effects on patients’ physical health, their well-being and interpersonal relationships. The research examines the intersection between two significant life events among women breast cancer survivors (BCSs): experience with breast cancer and divorce. Interviews were conducted with 18 Israeli BCSs who had decided to divorce during their illness or recovery. Feminist narrative analysis was used in analyzing the interview transcripts. Three themes that characterized the experiences of our participants emerged from the analysis: (1) “Cancer as an alarm clock”: Change; (2) “Putting myself at the top of the list”: New priorities; and (3) “I coped with cancer, I can handle divorce”: Agency. Based on the findings, women’s agency is a meaningful prism for the study and therapy of BCSs. In terms of practical implications, therapists should pay closer attention to the understudied intersection of dissatisfaction with intimate relationships and illness.