ASSOCIAÇÃO AMIGAS DO PEITO DO VALE: NARRATIVAS SOBRE AÇÕES, IMPORTÂNCIAS E TRANSFORMAÇÕES NA VIDA DE MULHERES DIAGNÓSTICADAS COM CÂNCER DE MAMA

Abstract

Breast cancer is the cancer that most causes the death of women. In addition to causing discomfort and physical symptoms, it also directly affects women in psychological, emotional and social aspects. Due to their own experiences with breast cancer, women in the municipality of Rialma and surrounding region perform a work, which began as a conversation group and was formalized in 2015, becoming the Best friends of Valley Association. Its actions include the exchange of experiences through visits to women diagnosed with breast cancer, providing basic food baskets for those undergoing treatment and consequently financial difficulties, assisting with exams and conducting awareness movements for the prevention of the disease. Thus, the objective was the investigation and knowledge of this association, yours actions, importance and impact on the life of yours associateds and met. A qualitative research was carried out, using structured interview as the data collection instrument and the content analysis method to analyze the interviewed narratives. From the reading, there was the process of categorization of the collected data and it was explored, analyzing and interpreting speeches and behaviors, basing this interpretation on the descriptors used in the theoretical framework, breast cancer and diagnosis, psychological aspects related to the diagnosis. of breast cancer, emotional aspects and subjectivity. Despite the proposal of conducting four different moments of interviews, it was possible to perform only three, the collective interview with the associates, the individual interview with the associates and the individual interview with the women attended. In the results were created three topics equivalent to each moment performed, emerging within them the following categories: The beginning of a new journey; Holding out hands; The base; What reflects in the mirror; Stones on the way; An unexpected news; Looking back; The decision to help; As my eyes see; Discovery; In a timely manner; and Look of wonder. Within these categories were presented and interpreted narratives that told the opinion of these women about breast cancer before being diagnosed, the personal and family reactions to the diagnosis, the beginning of the association, their motivations, the actions developed and difficulties faced, and the importance of this work in the life of the associates and in the lives of the women attended. From the analysis and discussion of these results we identify similarities and differences in reactions, such as when they express the negative feelings they feel when they discover the disease and when they say they have not attached much importance to it. We know amazing and unique stories, and very similar ones. We have found that fear can be very present in ways like this, but surprisingly so are acceptance and courage.