Making plans before you die

If you are dying with cancer, you might have questions. You might wonder how much time you have left to live. The team looking after you will try to answer as best they can.

Advance care planning helps you plan any future care, including treatment. If you become too unwell people can make decisions based on your wishes.

Choosing where you would like to die is an important decision. It can help to know what your options are and to discuss it with your doctors and family.

Towards the end of life you might want to make some decisions about your care, including any instructions for refusing treatment.

You might want to leave behind some memories for the people you love. Some people also decide to deal with any unfinished business.

Not everyone is religious or has a spiritual practice. But some people discover this side of themselves when they are close to death.

There are practical issues to think about when you know you are dying. These might include your will, your finances and the type of funeral you want.

Some people want to donate their organs or body parts for transplants. Others want their bodies to be used for research.