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Known as the woman who changed the face of death,

this week's great life has had the most profound effect

on how we care for the dying.

At almost six foot tall, she could be intimidating, tiresome, and relentless,

as she devoted her life to ensuring that terminally ill people could die with dignity and without pain.

It sounds obvious now.

It didn't then.

Nominating this great life is the actress and writer Maureen Lippman.

Maureen, who is this woman and why have you chosen her to champion as your great life?

I never heard of her.

Had you not? No. No. Well she's my heroine of the

20th century because she changed the face of medicine which was a good face but it was a

face that was turned away from terminal illness.

Doctors go into the business of medicine to cure, and I think it fulfilled a need in her.

She had enormous empathy and intuition

and because of experiences in her life this is where she felt happy with the dying.

She worked out that what people wanted was a place that was bright, where they could see the garden, where they could live every minute

of their lives till the last minute.

To a lot of this I want to come back, but I was struck by a phrase you have just used you said she found her greatest

happiness with the dying the idea of finding happiness with the dying I struggle with I can see why one would have every kind of care and compassion

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