Kathryn Mannix has spent her medical career working with people who
have incurable, advanced illnesses. Starting in cancer care and
changing career to become a pioneer of the new discipline of
palliative medicine, she has worked in teams in hospices, hospitals
and in patients’ own homes to deliver palliative care, optimising
quality of life even as death is approaching. Having qualified as a
Cognitive Behaviour Therapist in 1993, she started the UK’s
(possibly the world’s) first CBT clinic exclusively for palliative
care patients, and devised ‘CBT First Aid’ training to enable
palliative care colleagues to add new skills to their repertoire
for helping patients.
Kathryn has worked with many thousands of dying people, and has
found their ability to deal with illness and death both fascinating
and inspirational. She believes that a better public awareness
about what happens as we die would reduce fear and enable people to
discuss their hopes and plans with the people who matter to them.
‘It is incredibly moving, of course, but what it isn’t is
miserable. Yes this is a book about death, but it is also a book
about joy. There aren’t all that many books that change the way you
see the world. This book really might. It will make you want to do
a better job of loving and living. It will make you want to be
kinder. And it will make you want to cherish every precious moment
of your precious life.’
Sunday Times ‘Extraordinary and profoundly moving. … Any reader
will come away with the wish that they will be cared for at the end
by someone with Mannix’s imaginative sympathy and matter-of-fact
generosity of perception’
Rowan Williams, New Statesman ‘Illuminating and beautiful … I shed
a few tears but it’s not gut wrenching and Mannix weaves the light
and dark strands of her experience with finesse. It’s essential
reading for anyone who will encounter death, and that means all of
us.’
Cathy Rentzenbrink, The Times ‘I got to the end of Kathryn Mannix’s
book with just one thought – I wish I’d been a palliative
consultant … A reminder that talking about death is an Act of
Love’
Greg Wise ‘In the last few years, there has been a crowd of books
by doctors, scientists and writers that have sought to show us
different, kinder ways of ending: Atul Gawande, Oliver Sacks, Henry
Marsh… the list is long. Now Kathryn Mannix joins this
distinguished group. Mannix’s aim is to shed a soft, clear light on
a subject too often avoided. Mild, tender and conciliatory, I would
like her to be my compassionate, wise doctor when I lie dying.’
Observer
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