A good friend of mine turned 38 yesterday. It will be his last birthday. Last month was his last Christmas and New Years. He entered hospice care this month. His doctors have said he's only got a few weeks left, so he's come off the treatment for his brain tumour. His kids are old enough to understand he won't be here much longer. A bunch of us, friends from high school, flew up to see him in the fall. It's hard to believe someone our age won't be with us to see another year. It puts things in perspective.

Cancer sucks.

I'm sure you've already done this, asking him/his family 'Is there anything I can do?', and gotten the response 'No, we're good' or something like that.

No one would ever respond "I have been wanting new binoculars". IMO, the best way to show your love is doing something he would never, ever ask for.

"What would that be?"

Excellent question, it doesn't have to be a large amount, but perhaps a start for a college fund for his kids. Can start out a few hundred or few thousand dollars into a 529 college savings account that (assuming you live in the US).

Just one idea of many. Don't ask for permission, just do it.

Again, cancer sucks.

@PaperTrail Do this. No one asks for the kinds of things that matter. You have to do them.

I feel for you bro, I have a friend who is in the same situation with cancer. Life is shorter than we like to imagine it is. I hope your friend doesn't have any regrets and can have peace in his last moments.

I too lost a dear friend to this cancer shit, and she wasn't even 30... I fucking hate this fucking thing and I essentially think about her every couple of days... The loss gets better, but you don't ever really stop missing the person. Im really sorry you all have to go through this too

I feel for you, a good friend of mine just 20 yr got ball cancer that has already spread