BMJ  2003;327:1047 (1 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7422.1047-a

Letter

What is a good death?

We must learn to live in the light of our mortality

The first 100% of the full text of this article appears below.

EDITOR—At a recent training day on cultural awareness our facilitator commented that Western culture assumes immortality, and then strives to achieve it. The trouble is that we then come up against the reality of death, often finding it unpalatable, unfair, and something to be fought against.¹

As Syed has already written (previous letter),² a good death follows a good life. His thoughtful metaphor is very much to the point here: not only does the final chapter complete the story of the life that it concludes, but every other chapter is in its way working towards that denouement.

So a good death follows a good life, yes. But also a good life looks forward to a death that, hopefully, will be good. We need to live in the light of our mortality.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Health Protection Unit, Southampton SO16 4GX andrew.rivett@hiowha.nhs.uk

---

Competing interests: None declared.

1. What is a good death? Join in our online discussions. BMJ 2003;327: 66. (12 July.)[Free Full Text]
2. Syed A. A good death follows a good life. Electronic response to: What is a good death? bmj.com 2003. bmj.com/cgi/eletters/327/7406/66#34541 (accessed 23 Oct 2003).

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