Robin Bennett Kanarek was a nurse working with people with chronic conditions when her ten-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia. As her son endured grueling treatments, Robin realized how often medical professionals overlook critical psychological, emotional, and spiritual support for people with life-threatening illnesses. Living Well with a Serious Illness is the culmination of decades of Robin's work to advance the field of palliative care. Although palliative care is often associated with hospice and end-of-life planning, Kanarek argues for a more expanded definition that incorporates palliative care earlier in patients' journeys. This book helps patients and their caregivers understand what palliative care entails, how to access additional support and resources, what specific questions to ask medical professionals, how to navigate advance care planning, common terms used in end-of-life planning, the importance of spiritual care, coping strategies, and emotional support, how to become an advocate for palliative care