ABSTRACT
The diagnosis of cancer almost always comes as a shock, even when patients have been unwell for some time. When cancer is diagnosed after a short illness one can suddenly be plunged into a new role as the carer, with little or no time to prepare. Hearing bad news is not easy. Giving it is not easy either, but telling the author's wife that the author thought she might have cancer was the hardest thing the author has ever had to do. A sudden diagnosis can bring many unforeseen changes to a person's carefully made plans. Looking back, if people had been given more warning, they might have tried to change their plans. It probably worked out for the best that they simply kept to their original arrangements. A person's support, company and encouragement will all help the patient as they face new and challenging situations.
