News release
Jerry Danielsen’s new book, “Dying to Live,” chronicles the decision he and his late wife made to keep living, traveling and finding joy in the face of a terminal diagnosis, said a news release from the local author.
The book tells the story of Danielsen and his late wife, Angela, whose lives changed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer and later learned that the disease had become metastatic and was no longer curable.
But Danielsen says “Dying to Live” is not simply a book about cancer. It is about what he and Angela decided to do next.
Rather than allow doctor appointments, treatments and fear to completely take over their lives, the couple made a deliberate decision to continue traveling, laughing, loving and creating memories for as long as they could. They even gave their travels a name: the “F Cancer National Tour.”
“When you’re facing a life-changing diagnosis, the system tells you what to do,” Danielsen said in the release. “But who tells you how to keep living?”
That question became one of the foundations of “Dying to Live.”
Part memoir and part practical guide, the book explores what Danielsen learned about caregiving, navigating the health care system, becoming an advocate for someone you love, communicating through fear and grief, and deliberately making room for joy even during extraordinarily difficult circumstances, the release said.
Danielsen said one of the lessons he and Angela learned was that joy sometimes has to be scheduled just as deliberately as a medical appointment.
Their journey included travels around the country and experiences ranging from small everyday adventures to a memorable day at Dodger Stadium, where Angela threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
Angela ultimately lived nearly three years from her initial diagnosis.
Danielsen began writing “Dying to Live” after her death, both to tell their love story and to create the kind of book he wishes someone had handed him when they first heard the word “cancer.”
Although the story grew out of their experience with terminal illness, Danielsen says its message is intended more broadly for anyone confronting a life-changing diagnosis, caring for someone they love, anticipating loss or trying to determine how to keep living fully when life suddenly changes.
Danielsen, a longtime Santa Clarita Valley resident, is a composer, record producer, recording engineer and author. He owns Canyon Country-based Busy Signal Studios and serves as chief audio engineer for Pantheon Media, a podcast network focused on music and popular culture. He is also a former member of the College of the Canyons board of trustees.
On Saturday, Danielsen will discuss “Dying to Live” at a public event from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Valencia Library. The event, presented by the Friends of Santa Clarita Public Library, will include an author talk, live music, a question-and-answer session and book signing.
The Valencia Library is located at 23743 Valencia Blvd., Valencia. For information about the book, visit DyingToLiveBook.com.
