Telling the Story of Illness and Death

This paper is based on an analysis of narratives written by parents ‐ mainly mothers ‐ of young adults with cancer, many of whom died. The paper is situated within the context of literature on the role of writing in a ‘confessional culture’ and this is contrasted with the limited opportunities to talk about death in modern western society. An analysis of the narrative material considers the motivation for writing about illness and death and the need for non-professional writers to legitimate such an activity. The form the writing takes and the way in which it is presented are discussed, as is the potential for the writing being therapeutic. Among the conclusions reached are that to some extent a person who has died can live on through the telling of their story, thus enabling ‘retention’ of the dead through a continuing bond. Limited opportunities to talk about grief may be assuaged by writing and the resulting account can act as a lasting memorial while also being written to help others. Nevertheless, despite the evidently therapeutic nature of writing in a culture that can be increasingly defined as ‘autobiographical’, writing may need legitimating ‐ in this case by being a contribution to research ‐ in order for the writer to feel justified in undertaking an activity that can be perceived as the preserve of the professional.