Sites that cope, cure and commemorate: weblogs of terminally Ill

This text investigates weblogs of terminally ill created by patients to express emotions about dying and death, as well as to reflect about their life and how they want to be remembered. The authors analysed weblogs of terminally ill employed as research instruments in English hospices as well as weblogs created by individual patients in private settings in the Netherlands. Altena and Ngwenya find that weblogs provide an innovative means of funerary expression. They argue that weblogs are important mediators to help patients and their bereaved to cope with their illness, imminent death and mourning. Furthermore, the patients' comprehension and acceptance of their situation through the use of weblogs could possibly help in the prediction of their mental and physical health improvement.