News Break: Should There Be Hospice Greeting Cards?

When you don’t know what to say—when someone’s going through a hard time—well, there’s always Hallmark. Root through the stack and pull out a “get well soon” card or a “my condolences.” It seems like there’s a greeting card for just about every situation … except dying.

When Regina Holliday’s husband, Fred, had cancer, they got lots of greeting cards. But when he went into hospice, the cards stopped, she told ABC News. So she started a petition to ask Hallmark to develop hospice greeting cards. Yet, ABC News reports, Hallmark says it already has cards that would work for that:

Linda Odell, a spokeswoman for Hallmark, said the company was not ruling out developing a line of greetings to address end of life but pointed out that many of the company’s current offerings, including blank and customizable greetings, could be used as a jumping-off point for starting tough conversations about virtually any situation or relationship in life.

Being a caregiver—or the one cared for—can be isolating. Getting a simple greeting card reminds you there are people who care. But Odell also says some people find hospice cards inappropriate.

What do you think? Should there be hospice greeting cards? If you’re in that situation, what kind of card would you appreciate receiving?