Actually, I spent a year at death's door and I agree with Groxx. Some folks who are sick do not have the ability to do something like this. But lots of them spend time on email lists, trying to give support to others as one of the few useful, gratifying things they are still capable of. I went back to school (part-time and mostly online) and, while still very ill, began growing some little websites (which originated as emails on some email lists). Finding something, anything to do to occupy your mind while your body is a hellish prison of endless torment is blessed relief and sometimes the only reason to not commit suicide. Different people handle it differently, but people who are dying don't typically do stuff like this to be remembered heroically. They typically do it to still have something of a life in spite of it all.
The main text for my class on homelessness and public policy was a book called "Tell them who I am" written by a man dying of cancer. He was already doing volunteer work with a homeless shelter and when it became clear he likely wouldn't live, he decided to do something more satisfying with his life than just keep showing up for his job. So he quit and spent more time with these homeless women and wrote a book. It is an amazing book. But the guy didn't do it to be all heroic. He did it because he valued the experience more than showing up for work and wanted to grab a little gusto while he still could.
Anyway, I upvoted you for all the good it did. It went right back to negative 4 before I could hit reply. Sigh.