Is Anointing of the Sick only for the dying?

No, and this is the most common misunderstanding about the sacrament.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says directly that Anointing of the Sick "is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death," and that "as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived."

For someone with cancer, that covers a great deal more than a deathbed. It goes on to name an occasion that comes up constantly in cancer care: "It is fitting to receive the Anointing of the Sick just prior to a serious operation."

Many people receive it while still in active treatment, before surgery, at a recurrence, or when moving to a more difficult line of therapy.

The sacrament can also be repeated. If a person's condition becomes more serious during the same illness, it may be given again, and if someone recovers and later becomes gravely ill, they may receive it again.

Only a priest or bishop can anoint. In a hospital, ask the spiritual care or chaplaincy office and use the words priest and anointing, so the request reaches the right person.