'Comic' got it right

As physicians associated with Hospice of Wake County and Horizons Palliative Care, we applaud the "Funky Winkerbean" comic strip's depiction of an end-of-life story. At HoWC, we work daily with persons passing through the final weeks of their lives. Our mission is to help them live as comfortably and fully as possible in their remaining time.

While such a story is our daily work, it is unusual for a "comic" strip to realistically address the common experiences of dying patients and their loved ones. Such real-life stories surround us, but we often prefer to put them in the back of our minds to avoid the discomfort that accompanies thinking about dying. Yet as shown in "Funky Winkerbean," patients and families can have positive experiences and enjoy their remaining life.

With the efforts of hospice teams and caregivers, patients can have sufficient relief of discomforts to be able to interact with those they care about and thereby able to deal with the joys and sorrows of a life that will soon end. This period fosters significant growth in understanding the meaning of life for the patient and loved ones.

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve patients at such a vulnerable time. Thank you for shedding a positive light on the end-of-life journey.

Dr. Ned Yellig

Medical director, Horizons Palliative Care

Dr. Neil Hall

Medical director, Hospice of Wake County

Raleigh