by Vera Kratochvil
Cancer survivors may face more challenges when trying to adopt a child than individuals without a history of cancer, according to a new study.
Investigators found the sizable upfront costs associated with adoption and requirements regarding a prospective parent’s health could work against cancer survivors trying to adopt.
However, the study also suggested that birth mothers might be receptive to cancer survivors as adoptive parents.
The research was published in Cancer.
Little is known about the rate at which cancer survivors successfully adopt a child or about their experiences during the adoption process. So Gwendolyn Quinn, PhD, of the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, and her colleagues conducted a study to gain some insight.
The investigators asked oncology nurses who were participating in a training program to conduct interviews with adoption agencies. Seventy-seven nurses across 15 states provided summaries of their interviews.
The nurses reported that adoption fees ranged from $3000 to $75,000. They noted that the upfront costs of adoption could deter cancer survivors who already have “a huge financial burden” due to treatment costs.
Not all of the adoption agencies contacted kept records on whether prospective adoptive parents were cancer survivors. But agencies that did track this reported an average of 10 former cancer patients a year seeking adoption.
A few agencies reported that a cancer history in an adoptive parent could be discouraging for a birth mother. But most reported the opposite—that birth mothers might feel confident in choosing a parent who has overcome hardships and has an appreciation for life.
Agencies usually required prospective parents to provide a letter from a physician regarding their health and medical history. In some cases, agencies required cancer survivors to be disease-free for 5 years before they could adopt a child.
In addition, international adoptions had greater restrictions for prospective parents with a cancer history (compared to US adoptions).
Dr Quinn said these are potentially discriminatory practices akin to restricting employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
“[P]erhaps this data will bring to light the need for policy revisions in adoption processes . . . ,” she added.
