The relevance of parenting concerns in the provision of oncology care is inadequately addressed in routine practice. Providers are regularly called upon to help widowed parents, children, families coping with the complexities of grief. This research highlights the importance of supporting people in moving through immeasurable grief. Clinicians and researchers would benefit from enhanced awareness and knowledge about how best to study and support the patients and loved ones we serve. 

There are educational gaps and a dearth of relevant research. For far too long, widowed parents have been underrepresented in the research literature. This research is the first to chronicle the challenges and triumphs of men whose wives died from cancer and were left to raise their young children entirely on their own, and illustrates that, while some wounds do not fully heal, people have the potential to create a new and meaningful future. This is a topic that has been a gap in the literature and clinical training. We have an opportunity to shine a light on these bereaved parents to enhance the support they receive, while incorporating stories with contemporary research on grief and adaptation.