Silencing end-of-life discussions fails our terminal patients
When Kara Tippetts, a 38-year-old mother of four, died of breast cancer last year, more than 17,000 people live-streamed her funeral. Tippetts gained national prominence through her blog, where she confronted her impending death directly and offered a refreshingly frank take on what it’s like to have a terminal disease.
Unfortunately, the openness Tippetts displayed is usually missing where it’s needed most: hospitals. Doctors, nurses and other caregivers are often reluctant …
