The healing impact of travel on the mental health of breast cancer patients

This study explores how breast cancer patients engage in travel and how travel may improve patients’ mental health. Data were collected from 31 breast cancer participants through interviews, and conventional content analysis was conducted. The results indicate that breast cancer patients participate in various travel activities that encompass natural, spiritual, interpersonal, cultural, and social aspects, and travel memories, including past travel nostalgia and future travel imagination. Using the chronic illness trajectory model, the study identifies three key healing roles of travel: mitigating death anxiety during the diagnosis stage, relieving psychological stress during the treatment stage, and promoting systematic recovery during the survivorship stage. These findings support the integration of travel-related interventions into the treatment and care of breast cancer patients. By facilitating these healing travel experiences, the tourism sector may play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of life for individuals facing serious health challenges.