The person with chronic leukaemia is living with a chronic and life-threatening disease. The aims of this study were to gain a deeper understanding of what individuals with chronic leukaemia consider QOL to be and to give the concept of QOL a theoretical and empirical significance relevant to nursing care. Fifteen adults with different forms of diagnosed chronic leukaemia have been interviewed about their experience of QOL. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using constant comparative analysis. The emerging core category was life satisfaction. Under this construct there were four categories; self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, performance ability and social ability. Changed QOL was described in two ways. First, coping was the core category for living with chronic leukaemia. The strategies were action, denial and hope. Second, QOL was seen as individual perception, experience of a positive attitude to life and self-contemplation.