​"I want to live well, even though my time is short.
I can hold on, just to finish the 30 episodes of the TV show I love,
and I can also hope to live a little longer,
just to finish reading a book I really like."
"I’m sorry... I’ve let you down by getting so sick...
and you even had to borrow money to treat me."​​
"I'm not from this world,
I only came to be your son to repay your kindness.
Now I’m about to leave, and I wish you both a long and healthy life."
"Whether there’s another life after death doesn’t matter to me.
I’ve lived a good life, and that’s enough.
As long as there’s not too much pain at the end, that’s all that matters."
"Please, let me go quickly.
If I don’t leave now, I’ll hold up the whole family."
"I don’t want to die, but what good is not dying? Who can live forever? People are like leeks being harvested. There’s a natural cycle.
If you don’t cut them, they wither on their own.
Generation after generation, they are cut, and life carries on.
That’s what it means to be human."
"I don’t need a tombstone or a funeral.
On my birthday, please bury my ashes beneath the trees
where my father and mother rest.
These trees will grow tall and strong, reaching toward the sky.
How can you say I’m gone? I've always been here."
——From the souls I cared for, and those who, in turn, cared for mine.
​Pediatric Family-Based Dignity Therapy
In the heavens, there exists the Legacy Library,
where each child is a unique book, their story written into eternity...
Apart from the physical torment, terminal patients often endure a range of psychological distress, diminishing their quality of life and sense of dignity. The loss of dignity is the leading factor in patients seeking euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide, accounting for 57% of the reasons. Therefore, preserving patient dignity is a fundamental principle of palliative care and a core value of caregiving. In response to this, Dignity Therapy (DT), a simple and effective individualized psychological intervention, aims to enhance the sense of meaning and dignity in patients nearing the end of life, alleviating terminal suffering.
DT is guided by a therapist and offers patients an opportunity to share their life stories through recorded interviews, which are later transformed into a legacy document, allowing their value to transcend death. After being introduced to China, DT was adapted to integrate traditional Chinese family values, resulting in the development of Family-Based Dignity Therapy (FBDT).
FBDT primarily takes the form of family conversations, complemented by creative activities such as drawing and crafts. Through this process, children and their families can reflect on cherished memories, express love and emotions, and share wishes and messages—either together or individually.
In pediatric palliative care settings, I worked as a research assistant and dignity therapist for the team that developed FBDT. I designed several legacy documents combining original expressions, pictures, and creative paintings，allowing them to be preserved by the children and their loved ones.
(Note: The illustrations on this page are created by a child I cared for, who had a serious illness.)
Each piece is created with deep respect for the preference of patients and their families, staying true to the storyteller’s voice and unique expression.
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Click the arrow in the images to view the full sample of a legacy document. :)
01 Important Memories
02 Personal Reflections
06 Wishes, Gratitude and Appreciation
07 Apology and Forgiveness
08 Hopes and Dreams
09 Suggestions for the Future
03 Merits and Achievements
04 Special Roles 05 Family Support
10 Others
