Finding Meaning After Losing a Child to Cancer
Official title: Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy for Parents Bereaved by Cancer: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial
Funded at University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-11119027 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers a special type of grief support called Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy to parents who have lost a child to cancer, helping them cope with their profound loss.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project start | August 26, 2021 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $582,874 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NR019637-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11119027 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are parents who have experienced the loss of a child to cancer and are seeking support for their grief.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not experienced the loss of a child to cancer would not be suitable for this specific grief therapy.
What this research studies
Losing a child to cancer is an incredibly difficult experience, and many bereaved parents struggle with prolonged grief, depression, and a reduced quality of life. This project aims to provide accessible and effective support by testing a new approach called Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy (MCGT). We want to see if MCGT can help parents find new meaning in their lives after loss, which may improve their well-being. This therapy is compared to standard supportive psychotherapy to understand which approach offers the most help.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this therapy could offer a new, effective way for parents to navigate the intense grief of losing a child to cancer, improving their mental and physical health.
How similar studies have gone: A pilot randomized controlled trial has shown that Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy outperformed standard supportive psychotherapy for parents with higher baseline grief levels.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Miami School of Medicine
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lichtenthal, Wendy G. — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Lichtenthal, Wendy G.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.