In my hours of need, I was robbed of my family, friends, beliefs and education. A mother’s narrative on her 14-year-old daughter's nine-month journey from ill health to death.

The study utilised a highly qualitative, narrative and free associative (Hollway and Jefferson, 2008) methodological approach to give a mother’s perspective of her teenage daughter’s 9-month journey from diagnosis of cancer to her death. Cancer is a unique chronic illness that impacts both physically and psychologically. The key findings of this study show that medical treatment alone is not enough and that professionals must understand the impact that cancer and the treatment has on the quality of life (QoL) for the child and how the phrase ‘surviving cancer’ has different meanings. It highlights the importance that family, friends, beliefs and education have on supporting a teenager and the consequences of denying that access to all stakeholders.