End of life nurse reveals worst and best diseases to die from

For most people, death is distant and abstract, but for California hospice nurse Julie McFadden, it’s a daily reality. She has guided countless patients and families through life’s final stages, offering candid insights that have resonated with millions about the realities of illness and dying.

McFadden identifies ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, as the cruelest way to die. The disease gradually strips away voluntary movement—speech, swallowing, walking—while the mind remains fully aware. Families describe the agony of watching loved ones trapped in bodies that no longer obey them.

Glioblastoma, a fast-moving brain cancer, follows closely. It not only shortens life but erases memory, alters personality, and brings confusion, seizures, and pain. For families, watching the disease progress is like losing a person in stages, long before death occurs.

Not all deaths are marked by suffering. End-stage kidney disease patients who stop dialysis often experience a gentle decline. Freed from invasive treatments, the body drifts into sleep, allowing families to share meaningful, peaceful moments together.

McFadden’s observations highlight more than disease severity—they prompt reflection on dignity and honesty at the end of life. Her guidance helps families understand symptoms, manage pain, and focus on comfort rather than fear.

A cultural shift is underway. People are increasingly planning for end-of-life care, prioritizing conversations, touch, and presence over machines and medical procedures. McFadden emphasizes that while death is inevitable, how it unfolds can often be shaped by thoughtful choices.

Ultimately, her work offers clarity and compassion. By understanding patterns of decline and emphasizing comfort, hospice care allows even the most difficult farewells to be infused with love, presence, and truth, easing suffering where possible.