Cancer is a powerful disease and has been shown to affect both the individual battling the disease as well as the friends and families. Research has shown that children and/or adolescents who have witnessed their caregivers with cancer have emerged as resilient from this experience. Through interviews, this study investigated college students at a small liberal arts school in Southern New England, who have or have had primary caregivers with cancer to see if they have gained resilience. This study revealed the effects that cancer can have not only on the individual who is battling the disease, but also on the children and/or adolescents who have witnessed their struggle. It identified possible support systems that were used by the college students to cope with their caregiver’s cancer. Information from this study can be used to understand if children and/or adolescents that grow up with a parent with cancer may develop resiliency as they mature and grow older
