We can always care

doi:10.1136/bmj.39275.958009.BE

BMJ 2007;335:112 (21 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.39275.958009.BE

Letters

Attending patients' funerals

We can always care

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

When our son died of cancer last year at the age of 25, a numberof his doctors and nurses came to his funeral.¹ We were notable to talk to them at the time, but we knew that they hadbeen there as they filled in cards which the funeral directorprovides. We have had contact with one or two of them since,and the shared experience was of tremendous importance. It meanta lot to us that they had taken time out of their busy scheduleto come. For us it was an important mark of respect for ourson. It showed that they cared and was part of a long healingprocess.

As a community paediatrician, I (RT) have tried wherever possibleto attend the funerals of disabled children under my care. Ihave usually grown to know the families well. The untimely deathof a child . . . [Full text of this article]

Ros Thorburn, consultant community paediatrician, Martin Roland, professor of general practice

Warrington WA5 1TP

ros.thorburn@doctors.org.uk