Dr Mannix is on a ‘mission to reclaim public understanding of dying’ through the medium of stories. As patients, families, and the professionals involved in their care undertake their own voyages of exploration, no journey is more apparent than that of the author, who gently infuses the lessons learnt from a lifetime of palliative care into her accounts of those with whom she has travelled.
Fundamentally, With the End in Mind is an ode to the value of palliative care and its ability to ease physical and mental suffering, framed by the author’s eloquent descriptions of peaceful deaths. However, she does not shy away from describing distressing or difficult situations, including her personal experiences of bereavement and the contentious topic of euthanasia.
As medics, and as humans, we all practise and live through the prism of our own experiences, both personal and professional.
This collection of stories and reflections explores this in the context of death and dying. It is an emotive topic and the question is not whether the carefully wrought subjects will reach out and touch you, but which ones. At the end of each section is a ‘Pause for thought’, designed to aid reflection, though their overtly didactic tone sometimes feels disruptive. However, the narrative within each story is gripping and the depth of the author’s compassion and warmth shine through.
From Gallic Sabine who wears her Resistance medal to remind her that she can be brave in the face of cancer, to young mother Holly whose daughters snuggle up to her as she goes to sleep for the last time, you will share the honour of learning from the people at the heart of these stories.
Throughout, Mannix refers to the privilege of her role. The privilege is now ours — to be guided by her gentle hand through this most difficult of topics. I for one will be using the ‘D-words’ more confidently from now on …
- © British Journal of General Practice 2018