Many thanatologists speak of the importance of hope in the dying process. In the beginning of a life threatening illness, people hope for recovery, to survive the illness, or at least to prolong life. As the reality of death grows closer, it is important to transform the nature of hope. The hope of avoiding death can be translated into the hope of finding and achieving a sense of meaning, of reaching the conviction that one’s life has had value, and that death will be faced with dignity and integrity.