“Si Dios quiere (God willing)”: The role of spirituality in a telephone support group for Hispanic men living with cancer

The telephone support group is a modality that addresses the needs of underserved populations in areas where face to face groups are sparse or nonexistent, as well as those with limited mobility who would be unable to travel. It has shown itself to be a successful means to reach out to Hispanic men and form a viable ongoing group. This poster describes a bi-weekly open membership group for Hispanic men with cancer. Group members are geographically and culturally diverse, living in CA, OR, NM, OK, TX, MD, FL, CT and NY. Their countries of origin include Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Argentina. Ages of group members range from 30 to 75 with the average being 55. Diagnoses include: lung, gastric, colon, prostate, brain, sarcoma, thymoma, oral, lymphoma, leukemia, myeloma, liver and renal cell cancers. The group began in October 2003 and has provided psychosocial support to 41 Hispanic men with cancer. As a closing ritual of group sessions, members are offered the chance to say parting words to each other until the next time and they very often use the Spanish phrase “Si Dios quiere” (God willing) as an indication of their being in the hands of God and acknowledging their mortality. Spirituality is part of the fabric of Hispanic culture, and the role of faith and spirituality has been the primary theme of the group. Members emphasize the need to conform to the will of God for their lives. They find acceptance is a helpful means of coping, though it is not passive but instead focuses on living in the present and requires them to be participants in their healing process. Through the support of other group members they are empowered to play an active role in their treatment and in doctor-patient communication. The group provides members with a sense of community which combats social isolation and a forum in which to talk openly with other Hispanic men about the impact of cancer on their lives. Additional themes of group sharing include difficulty obtaining entitlements and access to medical care, nutrition, clinical trials, treatment side effects, conflict regarding use of traditional herbal remedies and healing practices as a complement to standard treatment, sexuality, confronting mortality and loss of role in the family.