A powerful memoir chronicling one family’s journey through blood cancer has received significant international recognition, highlighting the importance of patient stories in advancing cancer awareness, research and healthcare.
Dying Many Times: The Struggles of a Cancer Patient, written by Ghanaian author
Benjamin Akyena Brantuo, has been added to the permanent collection of Stanford University Libraries and formally catalogued by the U.S. Library of Congress. The achievements mark an important milestone for a book that shares the lived experience of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) while advocating for stronger cancer care, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The memoir tells the deeply personal story of Brantuo and his late wife, Patience, who passed away from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in April 2020. Through their journey, the book explores the emotional, medical and practical challenges faced by cancer patients and their families, while offering recommendations to improve healthcare systems and patient-centred care.
A Milestone for Cancer Advocacy
The inclusion of Dying Many Times in Stanford University’s library collection ensures that students, researchers and healthcare professionals can access the book as part of its African acquisitions programme. Meanwhile, its classification by the U.S. Library of Congress and inclusion in the WorldCat global library network makes it discoverable by libraries and researchers worldwide.
Brantuo described the recognition as a tribute not only to the book itself but also to the experiences of cancer patients and their families.
He hopes the memoir will continue to educate healthcare professionals, inform research, influence policy and inspire improvements in cancer diagnosis, treatment and support services.
Why Patient Stories Matter
Personal accounts of living with cancer play a vital role in increasing understanding of the realities patients face. They can:
Raise awareness of blood cancers such as leukaemia.
Highlight barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment.
Inform healthcare education and policy development.
Provide hope and reassurance to patients and families facing similar challenges.
Stories rooted in lived experience help ensure that patient voices remain at the centre of efforts to improve cancer care.
Continuing the Conversation
At the Kevin Kararwa Leukaemia Trust, we believe that sharing real experiences helps break stigma, encourages earlier diagnosis and strengthens advocacy for equitable access to high-quality care.
As this international recognition demonstrates, one family’s story has the power to educate, inspire change and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.
Congratulations to Benjamin Akyena Brantuo on this remarkable achievement and for continuing to raise awareness of blood cancer through the power of storytelling.
