This article appeared in today’s Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9965450/Terminally-ill-doctor-to-tweet-from-her-deathbed.html). I came across it via my Med Hum Twitter feed.

Dr Kate Granger, a 31 year old elderly care specialist, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer in 2011, and was given a prognosis of less that 5 years.

She has already published a book, The Other Side (http://theothersidestory.co.uk/), and has a blog drkategranger, in which she shares her illness experience thus far.

In the Telegraph interview, Dr Granger speaks of humour, and how it has helped both her and her husband to cope. She hopes to continue this sense of humour to the end, culminating in ‘live tweets’ from her deathbed.

This public sharing of her experience is not just about helping herself and her husband cope with what life has thrown at them. Dr Granger also hopes that her experience may help others in a similar situation, and facilitate a sharing of what they are going through with their loved ones.

I was struck by many things when I read about Dr Granger. Most particularly, I am in awe of her courage in dealing with something so huge with such a positive and constructive attitude. Anything that facilitates discussion on death and dying, and challenges the silence that too often surrounds this most absolute of truths, is to be embraced. Even more so when the discussant is brave and generous enough to put an ‘I’ into the argument.

CQ