This work is aimed at those faced with the task of caring for people who have no hope of survival in the long term. It argues that the terminally ill of any kind can have a "healthy death" and that all who care for such patients will benefit from this. Issues examined include: the difficulties faced by those caring for the terminally ill; the need to concentrate on the relief of symptoms rather than the use of ineffective and sometimes painful curative treatment for those who will not recover; the fear and the physical and emotional distress of the patients and those around them; how the patient and family can be prepared for what happens and what they need to do; and euthanasia and quality of life. Case studies covering the last months of seven terminally ill patients provide an idea of the medical and psychological help given to them in this period. The authors argue that people with fatal illnesses should die with as much dignity as possible, for - as they point out - who death is it anyway?