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"Where can I seek help?" is a question often asked by patients - and surprisingly, by doctors. When curative treatment is no longer an option, patients with advanced cancer may feel as if they are facing a void. After the oncologist and the surgeon have done all they can, the patient and their family still require care and treatment - albeit of a different sort - and it may seem as if there is medically nowhere to turn. Sometimes, patients who receive a referral for hospice care are deterred by misconceptions about hospice care, which are reinforced if the referring doctors themselves convey the impression that hospice care is merely "better than nothing". However, by recognizing the unique medical and psychological needs of those who require palliative care, well-run hospice care can be invaluable for patients at this stage.

The hospice philosophy is to treat the patient and his family together as the unit of care, recognizing the role of the family in preparing for and managing life with advanced cancer. Accordingly, hospice services address key aspects of holistic care. Firstly, the patient receives specific medical treatment aimed at pain and symptom management. Support and education for the primary caregiver(s) are also provided. The family is enabled and encouraged to participate in the patient's care. Finally, the hospice promotes understanding and acceptance of the difficult process ahead. By alleviating the physical and psychological burden of care, hospice services allow the patient and the family to focus together on the quality of life.