You don’t have to tell certain people if you don’t want to. You might decide that you’d like to tell a small group of friends, you might want to tell everyone, or you might not want to tell anyone at all. It’s up to you.
If you’re worried about telling a bigger group of people that you have a terminal diagnosis, you might want to tell a close friend first who can support you with the wider group. This way you can share with them what you’re happy and not happy to talk about. You can also explain to your friend that you might find the conversation difficult and want to step away at some point. If this happens, they will hopefully be able to support you and explain to others how you’re feeling.
It’s hard to know how people will react when you tell them you have a terminal diagnosis. You might find that the people you tell are in shock and might not say a lot, or they might become very emotional and upset.
It's important to remember that you need to look after yourself and how you feel. If you need to take yourself out of the situation to have some time to yourself, that’s completely fine. If you’re able to, explain you need some time and step away for as long as you need. It’s OK to tell people what you need from them at this time. It might be that you’d like practical help with certain things, or you’d like them to be with you for future conversations as emotional support.