Theresa’s List
Quotes and Gentle Guidance Through the Six Stages of Facing Mortality
Publishing simultaneously in English and Spanish — La Lista de Theresa.
A bedside companion for the hardest chapters
Theresa’s List offers original quotes, affirmations, and gentle guidance through the six stages of facing mortality. It is written for people facing serious illness, caregivers, family members, friends, and anyone trying to find language for grief. The book was created in honor of Theresa Ann Miller, who wished for a resource like this and never found one. It is built to be opened anywhere, on any day — with a “Where to Turn” guide that meets you by how you feel, not by chapter number. These pages are companions, not a substitute for therapy, medical care, or crisis support — something to keep beside the bed, open on a hard morning, or share with someone who needs to feel less alone.
“Grief is not proof that you are broken. It is proof that love had somewhere to live.”FROM THERESA’S LIST
The six stages of facing mortality
Each stage carries its own color through the book — a quiet map for wherever today finds you.
Denial
Reality arrives faster than the heart can absorb.
Anger
Pain, fear, and unfairness need somewhere to go.
Bargaining
The heart keeps searching for more time, or a way to undo.
Depression
Loss grows heavy, and ordinary life can feel far away.
Acceptance
Truth and tenderness begin to sit in the same room.
Testing
Experimenting with how to live, prepare, love, and make meaning.
Where to start when you need support
A gentle starting point for facing mortality, caregiving, grief, and the people who keep living after loss. Use these as a beginning — not as a substitute for professional care.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call, text, or chat 988 in the U.S. for free, confidential support in an immediate emotional crisis.
Michigan 2-1-1
Call 2-1-1 or search online for local referrals — food, housing, transportation, and community needs.
American Cancer Society
Cancer information and support at cancer.org, or by phone at 1-800-227-2345.
National Cancer Institute
Caregiver and cancer information at cancer.gov.
CancerCare
Oncology social workers, counseling, support groups, education, and financial or co-pay assistance.
Hospice Foundation of America
Grief and hospice education, the Journeys grief newsletter, and a resource library.
GriefShare
Search local or online grief support groups by zip code.
Henry Ford SandCastles
Grief support for children, teens, and families who have experienced a death.
Henry Ford Hospice
Bereavement support, hospital grief groups, hospice social workers, chaplains, and community grief programs.
A simple script for asking for help: “I am dealing with serious illness or grief and I need support. Can you connect me with a social worker, bereavement coordinator, chaplain, counselor, support group, or patient navigator?”