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Suffering and death are an inevitable part of life. In our increasingly multicultural society, healthcare professionals are frequently confronted with ideas on suffering and death that are different from their own. As Muslims are the largest migrant group in the Netherlands, this article focuses specifically on their perspective, illustrated by a clinical case. The different experience of these phenomena, influenced by culture and religion, can lead to confusion and frustration for patients, their relatives, and healthcare professionals alike. It is essential that healthcare professionals are aware of both their own views and those of the patient, and have some knowledge of other cultures and religions. Healthcare professionals can use cultural (self) reflection and culturally sensitive communication, examples of which are provided in this article, to build mutual trust and understanding. This may improve the patientphysician relationship and may make endoflife communication, complex as it will ever be, a little more comprehensive.

After two major fires in the cities of Enschede and Volendam in the Netherlands in 2000 and 2002, respectively, a plan was devised tot cope with disasters and/or major accidents. The objective of one of the actions in the plan, Action 78, was to cover precautions and measures to protect first responders during the phase of repression of a disaster or major accident. These precautions and measures are regulated by the Dutch WRZO Act (legislation on disasters and major accidents). The report, commissioned by the state secretaries of four ministries will be presented to the task force preparing the protocol: 'Slagen voor Veiligheid' (Success in safety). After evaluation of the report by the task force, the protocol will go into the implementation phase, being reviewed from different perspectives than only from first responders. Besides presenting the protocol, the report documents background information, and indicates choices and scenarios for use in the different steps of such a protocol.