What Dying People Want: Practical Wisdom for the End of Life

Facing death results in more fear and anxiety than any other human experience. Western medicine has accomplished a great deal in addressing physical pain and symptom management for people with a terminal illness, but much slower progress has been made in understanding or alleviating psychological or spiritual distress, which often results in greater suffering. In What Dying People Want, Dr. David Kuhl begins to bridge that gap by addressing end-of-life realities-practical and emotional-through his own experiences as a doctor and through the words and experiences of people with cancer or AIDS who knew that they were dying. He presents ways of addressing the pain, of finding new life in the process of dying and of understanding the inner reality that characterizes the experience of living with a terminal illness. He acknowedges the despair and recognizes the desire for hope and meaning. Dr. Kuhl also makes the powerful and provocative case that insensitive communication by doctors creates more suffering for patients than either the actual illness or the knowledge of impending death and offers both the dying and their caregivers guidance on preventing painful interactions.

This is not a feel-good book about how we are deepened by a loved one's death. It is not a book about the last few days or the last few moments. This is a book about what the day-to-day experience of living with a terminal illness is like over a long period of time. It will offer guidance, solace, and helpful strategies for terminally people and their families and caregivers; and vital information for healthcare professionals.

Dr. David Kuhl began his career in palliative care fifteen years ago, providing medical care for people with cancer in his private practice, and subsequently developed a palliative care program for St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver. His team at St. Paul's has attended thousands of people at the end of life. A Soros Faculty Scholar and a frequent speaker on palliative care all over North America, Kuhl is currently developing a program for doctors on dealing with terminally ill patients. He lives in British Columbia with his family.