Inspiring Book Encourages Readers to Live Purposefully, Without Fear of Death
In "Living Consciously, Dying Gracefully: A Journey with Cancer and Beyond," award winning authors Nancy Manahan and Becky Bohan honor the heartening legacy of their sister-in-law Diane.
Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) March 31, 2008 -- When 55-year-old Diane Manahan was given a diagnosis of breast cancer, she lived her last five and half years with such peace, purpose and calm control that many of her friends felt their fears of death melt away. Nancy Manahan and Becky Bohan were two such friends of Diane, and together they share and celebrate Diane's legacy in their inspiring new book "Living Consciously, Dying Gracefully: A Journey with Cancer and Beyond" (ISBN 9781592981793, Beaver's Pond Press, Inc., 2007). Their book won the WOW! Women on Writing Award for the Best Book in Women's Literature and second place in Women's Issues in the Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award.
"Diane handled her cancer and impending death with such openness that we thought her story could serve as a model for others," Bohan says. The authors were with Diane during her journey with cancer and both were at Diane's side on her deathbed. "Living Consciously, Dying Gracefully" remembers Diane's final journey with tender honesty and includes Diane's own thoughts on death through journal entries and letters.
"Living Consciously, Dying Gracefully" serves as a guidebook for those dealing with life-threatening illnesses and offers practical suggestions for their family and friends. The book also shares uplifting lessons from Diane's after-death communications, which were powerful, comforting and sometimes life-changing for those who experienced them.
Diane didn't fear death; she lived out her last years with attention and intention, taking time to say her good-byes in a deep and meaningful way. She was open about living with cancer, even sharing her experiences in her classroom at Minnesota State University where she was a professor of nursing. Diane took an active role in her treatment, using complementary therapies to help her through chemotherapy and taking complete charge of her pain medication at the end.
By celebrating Diane's journey in "Living Consciously, Dying Gracefully," Manahan and Bohan hope to teach others what they learned from Diane: dying doesn't have to be dreadful or scary. "Diane showed me how to be open and accepting, how to say good-bye and how to plan for the end," Manahan says. "Her death was so effortless, graceful and beautiful that whatever fears I had about my own dying just disappeared."
About the Authors
Nancy Manahan, Ph.D., and Becky Bohan, M.A., have published four previous books. Manahan is a retired community college English, women's studies and film studies teacher. Bohan is the retired vice president of Knowledge Design and Delivery, Inc. They make their home in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
"Living Consciously, Dying Gracefully: A Journey with Cancer and Beyond" (ISBN 9781592981793, Beaver's Pond Press, Inc., 2007) can be purchased through local and online bookstores. For more information, visit www.nanbec.com. Publicity contact: www.readerviews.com. Review copies available upon request.
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