Co-developing comics to enhance a sense of belonging, empathy and agency in the final phase of life

This article explores one way in which the concept of belonging applies to people with a terminal illness. It suggests that retaining control over life is an important aspect of dying well. It proposes that this control or agency can be developed through social support groups which enable patients to develop a common bond with those in a similar situation. It introduces the PATCHATT community group which co-develops interventions to help patients with a life-limiting illness support one another to make small changes which are important to them (https://www.patchatt.co.uk/). It explores the co-development of a comic strip story, created to exemplify the change-making process, and the learning which arose from this shared endeavour. It uses an analysis of this experience to offer new understandings of the intersection between a discrete identity and social connection in the final phase of life and the distinctive role of bespoke comics in eliciting the empathy which catalyses patient agency.