Understanding Regenerative Healing: An Interpretative Exploration of Emotional and Spiritual Experiences among Stem Cell Therapy Patients
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Abstract
Regenerative medicine has emerged as a transformative field that integrates biotechnology and clinical science to restore damaged tissues through stem cell–based therapies. Within this domain, the subjective experiences of patients undergoing stem cell transplantation remain insufficiently understood, despite growing interest in their psychosocial and spiritual dimensions. Current research primarily emphasizes clinical efficacy and biological recovery, leaving a gap in understanding how patients interpret the existential meaning of healing. This study addresses that gap using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework to explore the emotional and spiritual transformations that accompany regenerative healing. Using a rigorously designed qualitative protocol, data were collected from 12 patients through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, and analyzed following the standard IPA steps—including initial noting, emergent theme development, clustering of superordinate themes, and iterative cross-case comparison. The findings revealed four core themes: oscillation between fear and hope, reconstruction of self-identity, spiritual reawakening amid uncertainty, and the relational dimension of healing within patient–clinician interactions. These themes illustrate that stem cell therapy is experienced not merely as a medical procedure but as a multidimensional process of self-renewal and existential transformation. The study’s insights extend current biomedical understanding by demonstrating that healing encompasses biological, emotional, and spiritual regeneration. These findings advocate for a patient-centered model of regenerative care and open pathways for future cross-cultural and interdisciplinary research integrating phenomenological inquiry into medical practice.
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References
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