When adults teach children about manners, they might remind them to say ‘please’ by prompting, ‘What’s the magic word?’ This is our introduction to ‘please’ — as the gateway to getting anything we want, whenever we want it. But by the time we reach adulthood and better understand politeness, the word loses a bit of its luster, no longer a mystical source of instant gratification.

In the realm of health care and chronic disease management, the word ‘please’ has its limits (although politeness always has its place, of course). No matter how kindly patients ask, how well they are recovering or responding to treatment takes priority over less urgent quality-of-life concerns like lost appetite, insomnia, or unpleasant side effects. What many patients coping with serious disease don’t realize, however, is that there is a magic word to get them the assistance they need, and that is ‘palliative care.’ Read on to learn how palliative care works in tandem with a patient’s existing treatment, but brings comfort and support within reach — you just need to ask. (more…)