https://doi.org/10.4081/mem.2025.1635
The generative relationship in oncology care
The article explores the role of the generative relationship in oncology care, emphasizing the importance of integrating the technical-scientific dimension (“to cure”) with the relational and existential dimension (“to care”). A cancer diagnosis is described as an existential earthquake that fractures the patient’s biography, creating crisis and disorientation. To address this challenge, the article proposes a medical model based on relational anthropology, which places the patient at the center of a network of meanings and connections, transforming illness into a generative experience. Scientific evidence demonstrates that factors such as resilience, spirituality, and empathy positively influence clinical outcomes and quality of life. Art and nature are identified as fundamental tools for activating patients’ inner resources, fostering an existential narrative of continuity and transformation. The metaphor of kintsugi is used to highlight fragility as an integral part of beauty and meaning in life. The article also explores the sustainability of the generative relationship within healthcare settings, providing concrete examples such as Gemelli.ART and Isola.ART, as well as the integration of art into medical education. A new vision of medical training is proposed, that extends beyond technical-scientific competence to include the symbolic and relational dimensions of care. In this perspective, oncology care is not just a response to pain but becomes a transformative process that restores medicine to its original role as a generative and humanizing practice.
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