Three Elon University students in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program conducted research regarding family coping mechanisms while caring for children with brain tumors.
As students in Elon’s inaugural Bachelor of Science in Nursing cohort, Jordan Almeida ’25, Kelsey Eshleman ’25 and Antonella Tommasi ’25 were also some of the first to do undergraduate research through the program.
The three students, who graduated in May, had an interest in researching cancer and focused on what strategies can improve coping and well-being for families caring for children with brain tumors.
Through a literature review, mentored by Elizabeth Van Horn, associate professor of nursing, their research highlighted aspects of support needed for families who have children with brain tumors. According to their research, the impact of brain tumors affects not only the patient, but parents, siblings, and guardians involved in taking care of them. Research and strategies in providing coping mechanisms for them is limited, which is why these students chose to fill the gap with their research.
“We found that music therapy was significantly helpful,” said Almeida. “It lowers stress and anxiety levels, which is really important with cancer patients, especially kids.”
Other methods could include structured psychological support programs that help parents through the diagnosis, like an annual convention held in Norway for families dealing with brain tumor diagnoses.
“It was a great convention for people to go to,” Tommasi said. “It helps people to release the tension that they had.”
Other recommendations included expanding peer support networks.
“One article discussed a patient who had been expelled from three different schools because of her anger issues after the removal of her tumor,” Tommasi explained. “It showed how the parents and siblings are involved in the process. But after patients leave the hospital, we try to support them, but we don’t do that much. They need more support from outside resources.”
Most of their research was focused outside of the U.S., so the students also saw a need for more American studies. The three were able to present their research at Elon University’s annual Student Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) Day on April 29.
“I wasn’t expecting to get so many people to come up to our poster and ask us questions about it,” said Almeida. “So, it was really nice for people to be interested to learn about children with brain tumors. From a nursing perspective, I think that’s awesome.”