A paper from my dissertation has been published in the Journal of the Medical Informatics Association, titled From illness management to quality of life: rethinking consumer health informatics opportunities for progressive, potentially fatal illnesses. In this paper we advocate the need to reconceptualize consumer health technologies to prioritize quality of life for people with a progressive, potentially fatal illness. We propose strategies for consumer health informatics in reducing stigma towards illness, promoting a palliative care approach and supporting physical, social, mental and emotional health.