Facing End of Life
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Facing End of Life
About this information
This Information is for people who are dying with cancer, and the people who are caring for them.
If you have had cancer diagnosed at a late stage, or if the treatments have stopped working and remission is no longer possible, you may be told that the cancer is end stage or terminal. Everyone copes in their own way with this news.
These pages outline how you might feel knowing you are dying, what might happen physically, and how you can prepare for death. There is also information for carers, family and friends.
This may be the first time you have read about end-of-life issues. Take your time and read the introduction to each section first to see if it has information you want at this stage. Read what seems useful now and leave the rest until you’re ready.
On these pages, find out more about:
This information is reviewed by
This information was last reviewed July 2023 by the following expert content reviewers: Prof Jane Phillips, Head, School of Nursing and Professor, Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Queensland University of Technology and Emerita Professor Palliative Nursing, University of Technology Sydney, NSW; Prof Meera Agar, Palliative Care Physician, Professor of Palliative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, IMPACCT, Sydney, NSW; Sandra Anderson, Consumer; A/Prof Megan Best, The University of Notre Dame Australia and The University of Sydney, NSW; Prof Lauren Breen, Psychologist and Discipline Lead, Psychology, Curtin University, WA; David Dawes, Manager, Spiritual Care Department, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Rob Ferguson, Consumer; Gabrielle Gawne-Kelnar, Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Social Worker, One Life Counselling & Psychotherapy, NSW; Justine Hatton, Senior Social Worker, Southern Adelaide Palliative Services, Flinders Medical Centre, SA; Caitlin MacDonagh, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Palliative Care, Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, NSW; McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer; Palliative Care Australia; Belinda Reinhold, Acting Lead Palliative Care, Cancer Council QLD; Xanthe Sansome, National Program Director, Advance Care Planning Australia; Kirsty Trebilcock, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA.