November 2012 Meeting

The Notion of Liminality and Adults Surviving Childhood Cancers

Date:  Tuesday, 13 November 2012 (NOTE SCHEDULE CHANGE)

Meeting, 7:00 pm, Sumner School, Rotating Gallery G-4

Pre-meeting get-together, 5:30 pm Beacon Bar and Grill

NOTE:  The date for this meeting is adjusted this month because Election Day 2012 coincides with WAPA's regularly scheduled meeting date.

Description:
While today more children with cancer are surviving into adulthood, little is known about their long-term experiences as adults, since they are only recently just beginning to live into their twenties and thirties. As such, cancer presents many unknowns about the life course, for example, length of life, whether or not cancer will return, fear of long-term problems from treatment therapies, quality of life, ability to have and maintain social relationships, access to insurance and follow-up care, and identity. Drawing on Victor Turner’s (1974) theory of liminality and Miles et al.’s concept of sustained liminality (1998), this presentation will discuss how adults surviving childhood cancers continue to negotiate the ambiguity of their illness experience and conceptualize and reconceptualize their illness experience over time.

Biography:
Dr. Beckwitt received her Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology, specializing in Medical Anthropology, race, gender, and social justice from American University in Washington, DC. She defended her dissertation, Surviving Survivorship: Adults Surviving Chlildhood Cancers Experiences, with distinction. She also holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. Currently, Dr. Beckwitt is the Chief Executive Officer of Asher Consulting, LLC (a qualitative research consulting firm). She specializes in qualitative analysis methods, research design, questionnaire development, NVivo qualitative data analysis software, data analysis, and report writing. She works nationally and internationally across disciplines with faculty, doctoral candidates, and researchers in government and nonprofit organizations on qualitative research projects.

Meeting:  Charles Sumner School, corner of 17th St and M St NW, Washington, DC

How to get there:  The Sumner School is located at 1201 17th St NW (corner of 17th St and M St NW).  The entrance to the meeting area is on 17th St under the black metal stairway. Directions from Metro Red Line: From Farragut North station, take either L St exit, walk one block east to 17th St, turn left and walk 2 blocks north.  Enter the building through the double doors under the black metal staircase.  MEETING ROOM:  Rotating Gallery G-4 (ground floor)

Pre-meeting:  Beacon Bar & Grill (one block north of Sumner School)

How to get there:  The Beacon Bar & Grill is in the Beacon Hotel located at 1615 Rhode Island Ave NW (corner of Rhode Island and 17th St).  Directions from Metro Red Line Farragut North station: take either L St exit, walk one block east to 17th St, turn left and walk 3 blocks north (one block past Sumner School).  All are welcome.