When Dr. Gunta Krumins-Caldwell's family was confronted with terminal illness, she was thrust into unfamiliar territory. She and her husband Ed were only in their 40s, with two small children to rear and a newly established medical laboratory when Ed was diagnosed with Mator Neuron Disease.

Although they saw coping with a terminal illness as an opportunity for themselves, their families and their friends to grow and learn together, they discovered that those close to them found their changed circumstances extremely challenging. With such a confronting disease, many people were unable to relate to them in a way that they felt was caring and supportive. Everyone's mortality was questioned.

The Gift of Grief and Loss Courageous Care is a poignant account of a family dealing with terminal illness. The experiences of Ed, Gunta, and their two children are laid bare as readers discover within themselves the capacity to embrace their fellow beings in extremely difficult circumstances.