Broken yet Brave: Arabic Women’s Experience of a Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Arabic women and is often diagnosed in advanced stages, resulting in an increased likelihood of requiring a mastectomy. Despite this, there is a lack of contemporary literature exploring Arabic women’s experiences of breast cancer and its sequelae. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted between 2019 and 2022 of Arabic women diagnosed with breast cancer. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis as described by Braun and Clark. Results: Two main themes were identified: (a) Broken yet brave describes participants’ experiences when diagnosed and (b) Making decisions about treatment and experiences of support detailing their lack of decision-making autonomy and perceptions of support. Discussion: Arabic women believe in the concept of fate and faith, and their cultural conditioning is to prioritize family over themselves, often with limited support. They lack autonomy in decision-making due to the patriarchal society they live in.