IT is something almost too unbearable to contemplate – knowing we are dying but have regrets in life.

Hampshire soul midwife Mandy Preece has revealed the most common regrets she has heard from people in their final moments.

Mandy, who has sat with more than 100 people as they have died to ensure they pass away in peace, said: “Being with people at end of life, all the peripheral stuff goes away and it all comes down to the things that are really important in life. You can learn a lot from people who are dying." 

Mandy, from the New Forest, who volunteers at Macmillan Caring Locally at Christchurch Hospital, said often the regrets of the terminally ill are the simple things in life like staying in touch with friends and being true to yourself. 

She said: “The important things are always love, family, friends and the truth – being able to say how you really feel.

“I think the biggest regret is that someone has worked too much and didn’t spend as much time as they would have liked with their family.

“But for most people, it’s love. It always comes down to love and often, not saying I love you. 

“I sat with a businessman who was in his 50s who was told he had a month to live.

“He was very angry but after he vented, the thing he talked about was how much he loved his partner.

“One woman simply said ‘forget the housework, go home and play with your child.’”

Read more about Mandy Preece's job as a soul midwife here: Meet the women who believe the final moments of our life are the most important