In the 24 hours before a patient dies they may experience and report to their carer a number of experiences very similar to the near death experience. They sometimes report being visited by dead relatives who seem to have come to smooth their path in the death process.

They may report that they have gone into, and then returned from, an environment which is similar to that of the near death experience. Sometimes carers of the dying say that they have heard 'heavenly' music or have been enveloped in a bright light as the patient nears the point of death.

Knowledge of the near death experiences and death bed visions helps both carers and the dying understand these phenomena as part of the dying process.

Dr Peter Fenwick has been leading a study into death bed visions. He and his colleagues recently published the results of a pilot study titled 'Deathbed phenomena and their effect on a palliative care team'. If you are interested in knowing more you can read a summary here and if you are interested in participating in his current study you can get more information by looking at the

THE DEATH BED VISIONS STUDY

Alternatively you contact him directly on peter_fenwick@compuserve.com

What has been said in the media about death bed visions?

If you are interested you can read an article that appeared in the UK newspaper The Daily Mail in February 2007 - The Angels of Death by Danny Penman