It is and it isn't. A year and a half would go by so quickly. But if it were a high-quality year and a half and not spent in a hospital ward, I guess it's better than the alternative.
For a mother with a young child, getting another 1.5 years can be the difference between the child not knowing their mother and having some memory of her.
For someone with no or adult children, it can be a lot less significant. My dad passed away from cancer when I was 30 and while I certainly would have taken an extra year with him, it wouldn't have changed much.
I find it much easier to sympathize with people's desire for additional time with terminally-ill loved ones now.