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In this paper, we explore how existential aspects of being diagnosed and living with cancer are shared in stories that are publicly communicated online. Through a narrative analysis of online texts and blogs, we explore how people deal with their cancer experiences, how cultural norms about illness are expressed in their stories and why they write and publish their stories online. We found that the writers described cancer diagnosis as a defining moment in their lives. They portrayed it as a crisis that was followed by unpredictability, doubt, grief and loss, fitting with the term 'existential uncertainty'. Writing and sharing their stories online, connecting with others and staying positive were ways of dealing with this uncertainty. These naturally occurring data offer insights into phenomena that are not easily accessed in a clinical setting; moreover, they provide unique insights into the cultural norms in which online illness narratives are embedded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a ritual perspective, the paper identifies a new form of ritual concerning the corpse, which could facilitate separation and allow the living to look at the deceased without disgust. In order to explore the effect of thanato-aesthetic interventions, the experience of the last glance of the bereaved at their deceased loved ones was analyzed. Twenty interviews were performed in three morgues, and thematic analysis was utilized. The aim was to illustrate how post-mortem grief may be affected by aesthetic manipulation of the corpse and ways in which the bereaved relocate their beloveds. The fundamental hypothesis is that the facilitation of concrete contact with the corpse may assist mourners to detach from the deceased. From the qualitative analysis, three areas of meaning prevalence emerged: Kübler-Ross phases of grief work and the conspiracy of silence; immortality and continuing bonds; and the effects of thanato-aesthetic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]