A Gentle Goodbye: Upholding Dignity in End-of-Life Care 

This article was exclusively written for European Sting by Mr. Fokah Wembe Darrell Dupray, a 4th-year medical student at Université des Montagnes, Bangangté Cameroon. He is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

During my second year of medical school, I began my first internship a nursing-style placement at Hôpital Général de Bafoussam in Cameroon. It wasn’t yet a clinical internship, but it was my first real contact with patients, and it left a lasting impression. Under the supervision of Dr. Morel Diffo Tchamagam in the hepatogastroenterology unit, we attended to a patient living with hepatocellular carcinoma. Curative options were limited, and the air in the room felt heavy with unspoken understanding. Yet what stood out was not the disease, but the way my senior spoke to the patient: calmly, gently, and with genuine respect. In that moment, I understood that dignity can be just as vital as medicine itself.

Around the world, millions of patients face the end of life without adequate palliative care. Pain relief, emotional support, and open communication are often overlooked in systems that prioritize cure over comfort. But dignity in end-of-life care is not an optional extra  it is a fundamental human right. Even when we cannot extend life, we can still enrich it with compassion, honesty, and presence.

Hospice and palliative care remind us that healing does not always mean recovery. It can mean listening to fears, respecting wishes, and ensuring that a person’s final moments reflect who they are, not what they suffer from. Dignity is preserved in small gestures  a reassuring word, a gentle explanation, a quiet act of kindness that reminds the patient they are still seen and valued.

As the world observes World Hospice and Palliative Care Day under the theme “Dignity in End-of-Life Care,” we are reminded that the true art of medicine lies not only in saving lives, but in honoring them. Through empathy, education, and advocacy, we can ensure that every farewell is met with gentleness, respect, and humanity.

About the author

Fokah Wembe Darrell Dupray is a 4th-year medical student at Université des Montagnes, Bangangté Cameroon and the current President of UMESSA. Passionate about global health and community service, he has coordinated large-scale health campaigns delivering free consultations, surgeries, and health education in underserved communities. He is particularly interested in research, surgery, youth leadership, and innovations that bridge medicine with social impact.