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Things You Shouldn't Say to Someone With a Terminal Illness
Based on my experience with my mother's GBM diagnosis.
My Mom was diagnosed with a grade IV Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) brain tumor in March of 2022. GBM is an extremely aggressive form of brain cancer. GBM is fast-growing and extraordinarily resistant to treatment. According to the National Brain Tumor Society, "The five-year survival rate for glioblastoma patients is only 6.9 percent, and the average length of survival for glioblastoma patients is estimated to be only 8 months." (https://braintumor.org/brain-tumors/about-brain-tumors/brain-tumor-types/astrocytoma/#glioblastoma)
Learning all of these horrendous facts and figures was heartbreaking. Our friends and family have been incredible sources of emotional support. However, although they always have the best of intentions. Understandably, many just don't know what to say, and inadvertently, the experience of interacting with them can take a mental and emotional toll on us.
Before experiencing my Mom’s diagnosis, I would have said and done many of the same things without ever thinking much about it. Therefore, I decided to share some of our experiences in hopes of helping others when interacting with friends or family in a similar circumstance. While it is hard to know what to say in these…
