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In this episode of Mohivate, Dr Mohi Sarawgee explores one of the most important conversations we rarely have. Death, dying, and what it means to live well until the very end.

The episode begins with a simple observation. Despite being the one certainty every human being shares, death remains one of the least discussed subjects in modern life. Through personal stories, medical insight, and reflections from years in healthcare, she explores why so many families avoid these conversations and why having them may be one of the greatest gifts we leave the people we love.

Along the way, the episode unpacks what palliative care actually is and what it is not. From symptom management and quality of life to the pioneering work of Dame Cicely Saunders and the origin of the modern hospice movement. This episode is a conversation about dignity, compassion, and caring for the whole person.

The episode explores advance care planning, the evidence behind palliative care, and why conversations about our wishes matter long before they become urgent. You will discover how these discussions support families and help people make decisions that reflect what matters most to them.

Woven throughout are stories from clinical practice. Moments of humour, humanity, and wisdom that no textbook can teach. Because dying patients often leave behind some of life’s most important lessons for the living.

At its heart, this episode is not about death. It is about love, legacy, and the conversations that matter. The words we say while we still can. The things we leave behind. And the reminder that a life is not measured by how long it lasts, but by how deeply it touches others.

This episode is shared in fond remembrance of my uncle. 

29.03.1955 - 02.06 2025. Forever missed.

REFERENCES

1.WHO — Palliative Care as a Human Right, World Health Assembly Resolution 2014

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/palliative-care

2.Temel et al. 2010 — Early Palliative Care for Patients with Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer, New England Journal of Medicine

https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMoa1000678

3.Temel et al. 2024 — Stepped Palliative Care for Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer, JAMA

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2819643

4.Tsubaki et al. 2025 — Effects of Advance Care Planning on the Mental Health of Bereaved Families: A Systematic Review, Cureus

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12084671/

5.St Christopher’s Hospice — History of Dame Cicely Saunders

https://www.stchristophers.org.uk/about/history

6.Bronnie Ware — The Top Five Regrets of the Dying

https://bronnieware.com/regrets-of-the-dying/

7.Cicely Saunders and the concept of total pain — PMC

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11700540/

Just a gentle reminder: this episode is for information, education, and inspiration only. It’s not a substitute for your doctor’s advice. For any personal health concerns, always seek guidance from your doctor.