The life of a mother undergoes a dramatic change after a child is diagnosed with cancer. The present studyaimed to determine effects on the everyday life process and health status of mothers with children sufferingfrom leukemia. This qualitative study was based on a grounded theory approach with sixteen mothers. Theresults indicate that after onset of disease in their children, they marginalized their own health and tied theiridentities to taking care of the child and keeping the child healthy by ignoring themselves, becoming imprisonedin a taking-care-of-the-child position, and trying very hard for seek balance and stability Enduring physicalpressures on the one hand, and constantly attempting to achieve balance and stability in family processes on theother hand, gradually cause exhaustion. It seems that health care providers and nurses should pay much moreattention to the health status of this group of mothers.
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