Cancer resource centres: Transformational services and restorative servicescapes

Abstract

This article illustrates how cancer resource centres transform the lives of people both living with and affected by cancer by creating restorative servicescapes. The authors link attention restoration theory with the servicescape framework to demonstrate empirically that home-like cancer resource centres may offer their members a built setting in which some members undergo restoration from symptoms associated with cancer-related fatigue. Using mediation analysis, the authors demonstrate that some cancer-centre members are attracted to these centres partially because they are able to relieve two types of fatigue from participating in activities and classes – namely, low energy and personal productivity concerns. Fatigue is the leading symptom reported by cancer patients undergoing medical treatment, and thus the ability of cancer resource services to positively influence individual and societal well-being is profound. This work supports the transformative service research paradigm by revealing that not-for-profit ‘third places’ have important public-health implications.