Conclusion: ‘Total Pain’ Now

The conclusion briefly consolidates the main points of the book, then explores how ‘total pain’, understood in the context of my research as a useful phrase which operates at the borders of scientific fact and intuitive metaphor, remains relevant within the increasingly divergent fields of hospice, end-of-life and palliative care, including community approaches and recognising the impacts of structural racism. With reference to Cicely Saunders’ wider reformist ideals, I end by suggesting ways in which 'total pain' might be a useful term for conceptualising care more generally since it expresses shared experiences of death, grief and care that acknowledge our interconnection. ‘Total pain’ potentially offers a useful term for articulating collective or intergenerational pain, particularly in the light of its origin in Saunders’ own wartime experiences. It might then be applicable in contemporary situations, from recognising the shared suffering of intersectional health inequalities or ongoing conflict, or the complex long-term more-than-human pains of ecological disaster.