Being a Friend to the Terminally Ill

One of the central tenets of our ministry is to “be there” when someone is in need. When a person is terminally ill, it becomes especially important for friends and family to be present with them. Death and dying is a difficult subject for many people; so, the journey of the dying can be a very lonely one.

If you know someone who has a terminal illness, please reach out to them. It means more than you realize. Even if you are far away, you can still provide comfort through calls, cards, emails or texts.

We’ve gathered resources to help ease the discomfort of spending time with someone who is in the process of dying. As hospice physician Dr. Colleen Arnold reminds us in her tips for living with the dying, everyone’s journey is different, so choose ideas that are best suited to your situation.

Please consider downloading one or both of our free informational infographics: “10 Tips for Caring for a Friend Who is Terminally Ill” and “12 Ways to Be a Friend to the Terminally Ill.” Both resource documents offer suggestions on how to care well for a friend who is gravely ill or dying.

Finally, the Wisdom of the Wounded library of content contains more than 20 podcasts and blog posts on this subject. From a hospice physician who lost her own husband to cancer, to our ministry founder’s personal experiences in journeying with terminally ill friends, we offer you stories of courage, faith and hope.

God bless.