The Great Read: She Was Dying of Cancer. How Should She Live?
Thanks to new treatments, some patients with Stage 4 cancer are living longer — leaving them in limbo for years.
The New York Times
The Great Read
June 12, 2026, 2:00 p.m. Eastern time

On weekdays and Sundays, we recommend one piece of exceptional writing from The Times — a narrative or essay that takes you someplace you might not expect to go.

A portrait of Kate Dietrick, in a terra-cotta-colored jumpsuit, sitting in a red armchair and looking out a window in her home.

Ben Brewer for The New York Times

She Was Dying of Cancer. How Should She Live?

Thanks to new treatments, some patients with Stage 4 cancer are living longer — leaving them in limbo for years.

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