Dying Many Times: The Struggles of a Cancer Patient, a memoir and advocacy book by Ghanaian author Benjamin Akyena Brantuo, has achieved a series of significant international milestones after being acquired by Stanford University Libraries in the United States and formally catalogued by the The Library of Congress

The achievements represent important recognition for a book that documents the lived experience of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) and advocates for improved cancer care, particularly in developing countries.

The book, first published in 2021, chronicles the author’s journey alongside his late wife, Patience Brantuo, who died from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia on 2 April 2020 after three years of marriage.

Through a deeply personal narrative, the book examines the realities of cancer diagnosis, treatment and patient care while proposing practical recommendations for strengthening healthcare systems.

Among its latest achievements: Stanford University Libraries has added Dying Many Times to its permanent collection through its African acquisitions programme, making it available to students, researchers and faculty through the University’s library system.

The Library of Congress has assigned the book an official classification within its catalogue for works relating to leukaemia, enabling researchers and libraries worldwide to discover it as a recognised contribution to literature on the disease and the patient experience.

The book has been indexed in the WorldCat global bibliographic network, making it discoverable through thousands of library catalogues across the world.

The Library of Congress has also established an official Name Authority Record for Benjamin Akyena Brantuo, uniquely identifying him as an author within international library systems and ensuring that his publications are correctly attributed across academic and research institutions.

Commenting on the development, Benjamin Akyena Brantuo said: “These milestones are deeply humbling. They are not simply recognition of a book, but recognition of the importance of documenting the experiences of cancer patients and their families.

“When my wife, Patience, was receiving treatment at Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, she once held my hand during a prayer session and said, ‘Ben, if I recover from this condition, I will spend the rest of my life serving humanity.’

“Although she did not survive, I believe that dream lives on through this book. If it helps educate healthcare professionals, informs research, inspires better policy or gives hope to even one family facing cancer, then her legacy continues.”

According to Irina Trapido, Acting Head of Acquisitions & Collections Services at Stanford University Libraries: “Your book was acquired through our approval plan with one of our African book vendors. Through this arrangement, titles of relevant scholarly and cultural significance from African publishers and authors are supplied to the library for consideration and inclusion in the collection.”

Benjamin believes these developments demonstrate that personal experiences, when carefully documented, can contribute meaningfully to academic research, medical education and public policy discussions.

Since its publication, Dying Many Times has contributed to national conversations on improving cancer care in Ghana.

Around four months after the book's publication, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) expanded its coverage to include four childhood cancers - development the author welcomes as an important step forward.

However, he believes much more remains to be done to improve access to affordable, timely and patient-centred cancer care.

He hopes the book will continue to inform public discussion and support efforts to strengthen cancer diagnosis and treatment, while ensuring that the experiences of patients and their families remain central to ongoing reforms.

He is also calling on educational institutions in Ghana to consider the book as recommended reading for students pursuing studies in medicine, nursing, public health and the biomedical sciences.

He believes its combination of lived experience and practical recommendations offers valuable insights for future healthcare professionals.

Reflecting on the journey, Benjamin expressed gratitude to his family, friends, church members, readers and all those who have supported the book since its publication.

He paid special tribute to his son, Elijah, whose patience and understanding made it possible for him to devote countless hours to writing and promoting the book.

He also acknowledged the contributions of Buabeng Books, Mr Senyo Hosi and Mr Dennis Adjei-Dwomoh, whose encouragement and support helped bring the project to fruition.

“Patience dreamed of serving humanity,” he said. “Today, through this book, I believe that dream continues.”