Journalist Miles O’Brien took this moving photo of his little sister Aileen, a breast cancer patient, and her dog Jethro, on Tuesday morning in hospice. She died shortly after this image was made. Aileen was only 46. Xeni Jardin has information about where you can send condolences and make a contribution to a medical charity in Aileen’s memory, if you like.

When my sister Ruthie was so sick with her cancer, her beloved cats surrounded her and comforted her, especially near the end. They knew.