Benjamin Rubenstein's Blog, page 13

Trucking for Charity

Davey felt compelled to support my fundraiser. Davey and my brother, JD, have been friends for 15 years. He has seen what I have overcome and believes in me and my story. Few things would make him more proud than seeing me named The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Man of the Year. But, Davey was not able to donate much—he has poured his life into his company, Pinchlist, which he is building from the ground up. "No amount is too small," we told him honestly, though when he shared his idea, we told him it was too much and pleaded with him to reconsider because we felt his financial security was more important.

In 2011 Davey entered the Built Ford Tough Locked & Loaded Tour Sweepstakes along with 365,000 other contestants—and probably only because a pretty girl approached him with the contest form. When he received a letter from Ford naming him the contest winner, he thought it was a joke. It wasn't. Davey won a Toby Keith Edition Ford F-150 with EcoBoost. It is the only one in the world, a fully-loaded SuperCrew customized throughout with Toby Keith's signature, icon and gear. Toby himself presented the truck to Davey at a concert.


Davey first told me this story at one of JD's Redskins tailgates, beaming with pride. I really wanted to ride in his truck. I, too, am a fan of Toby Keith due to our shared outlook. He is the Cowboy Capitalist and I am the Cancer-Slaying Super Man. He will put a boot in your ass for lacking patriotism and I put two in cancer's ass. And we are both dedicated to supporting children with cancer.

The truck is Davey's most beloved possession. It is also the means by which he can impact my fundraiser the greatest, so he has decided to sell it through an auction on eBay and donate a percentage of proceeds to my fundraiser. The higher the bid, the more he donates. The total amount LLS receives will be based on the following three donation rates:
25% of the sale price up to $100,00050% of the sale price from $100,001 to $250,00075% of the sale price above $250,000.   This is Davey's way of doing good in the world, and supporting children with cancer just like me and Toby. JD and I are very proud of him and honored by his support. You can help spread Davey's spirit by sharing the truck auction's link on eBay with your country music fans. Help us raise up to $100,000 or even more for cancer research.

CancerSlayer Happy Hour & Book Launch for "Secrets"

My CancerSlayer fundraising team and the UVA Club of Washington Book Club are co-sponsoring Cancer-Slayer Happy Hour to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and to officially launch my new book, Secrets of the Cancer-Slaying Superman !

WHEN: Tuesday, May 13, 2014, 5-8 p.m.
WHERE: Guarapo Lounge
2039 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201 (closest Metro station is Court House on the orange line)

We have the upstairs reserved, free appetizers, and drink specials including Blood Orange Margaritas and Super Sugar-Slaying Peach (sugarfree Red Bull and Absolute Peach). I will read from the book and be available to autograph copies. My publisher, Woodley Books, is offering a special pre-publication discount on the book and will be donating 33% of event sales to LLS. We are requesting a $10 donation at the door which will go directly to our LLS fundraiser.

Please come out and help make my second book party as memorable as my first. I can't wait to see you there.

My Feature Interview with mAssKickers

A poor attempt at mimicking the cover of my book“Laugh as much as you can, especially at the absurd things you must go through; and bring baby wipes everywhere."
I met Eric Galvez, the founder of the nonprofit organization mAssKickers, when I spoke at the Critical Mass conference over a year ago. His site has been featuring interviews with survivors who have unique stories and perspectives. So I had to throw my A-game at Eric and fabricate facts if necessary. Read about how I decided to write my book, my boyhood heroes, and why baby wipes are the 21st century's greatest invention.

BREAKING NEWS: I Wrote a Second Book. Pre-Publication Copies Available Now.

The secret is out: I wrote a second book titled Secrets of the Cancer-Slaying Super Man, an illustrated book for young readers and teens, or adults who want a quick read, about my cancer experiences. You can get a special pre-publication autographed copy at a discount price of $15. In support of my Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) “Man of the Year” campaign, my publisher, Woodley Books, and I are also donating twenty percent of all income from the sale of the book throughout my campaign, to LLS.

Buy a special autographed not-even-released-yet book between now and June 14 for 20% off. We donate $3 to charity. Email me directly for your copy and I’ll ship it out within a couple days. I am so proud and excited and thank you so much for your support.

Here is my totally objective review for Secrets of the Cancer-Slaying Super Man…

Benjamin was a quiet, harmless teenager in the Washington, D.C., suburbs when his hip began to hurt while playing tennis on the high school team. He pushed the pain aside until it forced him to stop playing tennis, at which point he pushed the incoming “wuss” jokes aside. The pain worsened and turned out to be caused by Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, engulfing his left pelvic bone.

Benjamin created the delusion that he was superhuman in order to endure a year of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. The rules he created for himself ensured he would never be the “wuss” again, and that his humor and positive outlook would shine.

His invisible cape remained tied around his neck and when in college at the University of Virginia, he was diagnosed with myelodysplasia, a blood cancer, which was caused by the chemo he had previously received. Young Benjamin flew towards cancer survival for the second time as a teenager, and then towards a warm and rewarding life as a healthy young adult.

Unapologetically real and honest, Secrets illustrates the challenges people can face and the amazing ways they can overcome them. As a leisure book, you will flip page-by-page until you are done, regardless of your age. As a resource for sick kids, it is relatable, inspiring and funny while other resources cause fear and focus on negative outcomes. And as a book for school children, it offers life perspective and the concept that struggles are relative…also, that kids can be superhuman in ways adults never could.

I look forward to sending one of these treasures your way.

Sincerely,
Benjamin

Man of the Year Interview, Part III

In this final part of my interview recorded at the First Descents headquarters in Denver, Colorado, I discuss playing the cancer card and I offer a parting life lesson.

Man of the Year Interview, Part II

I created a symbol for my nickname, like Prince. I miss aspects of cancer. Am I superhuman?

I answer and reveal all of that, and hint at why I am campaigning for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Man of the Year, in part II of my three-part interview (first watch part I, and then part III this Thursday):

Man of the Year Interview, Part I

My name is Ben Rubenstein, I am addicted to coffee and gummy worms, and now that I am running for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Man of the Year, you can meet me unadulterated. An intimate conversation with me, part I:

Help Me Change the World Today

I am honored that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has nominated me as one of its 2014 “Man & Woman of the Year” candidates!

Eleven years ago, I lay on a hospital bed with an obliterated immune system, as stem cells from an anonymous baby girl sped through my veins. I closed my eyes and envisioned them sticking inside my hollow bones and repopulating my marrow with clean, cancer-free cells. I was 19 years old and battling my second cancer, this one affecting my blood. My fantasy became reality, and I survived myelodysplasia through a combination of hope, attitude, support and modern medicine.

I am not alone. More than a million Americans are living with blood cancers. Every four minutes, another person is diagnosed; every ten minutes, someone loses the battle. LLS has been helping people like me since its founding in 1949. In fact, the Society is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to blood cancer.

Each year, the National Capital Area chapter of LLS selects approximately 20 candidates to reach our fundraising goal of $1.25 million. For the 10-week campaign from April 3 through June 14, my goal is to raise $10,000 for each cancer-free year – totaling $110,000! If my campaign raises $50,000 or more, then my efforts will be linked to a specific cutting-edge LLS-funded research portfolio.

My CancerSlayer fundraising team would be grateful for your support, and no amount is too small. Together we can raise money that will go directly to LLS and help find a cure, reduce adverse side effects of treatment and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

In most cases your donations are tax-deductible. Your employer may even match your charitable gift, and you can share this blog with friends and family to increase your impact. Online donations are accepted until June 14. To donate online, please visit our fundraising Web page.

For many years I’ve been providing inspiration to people with cancer through this blog and my 2010 memoir, Twice . Now is my chance to provide funding.

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere, I thank you for your support.

Lifting Young Adult Cancer Survivor Baggage

As published on The Huffington Post

Press play on "workout" playlist: energetic pop hits, hard rock and rap, songs from cancer treatment that trigger flashbulb memories. Grab handles on this plate-loaded incline press machine. Take a deep, slow breath. Now, explode.

You're too short for her. No amount of ambition, personality or strength will change her mind. One repetition down.

She thinks you're weak and sick because of your limp. She needs a guy who will beat her in a 5k and you can't run ever again. You even use crutches to walk a few blocks. Two repetitions down.

She thinks you're too open and narcissistic -- writing books and blogs about yourself, displaying your shirtless torso online, discussing improper topics like chemo's humiliating effects. Yeah, she's probably right. Three repetitions down.

She thinks you're too healthy for her -- eating too few fries and too many greens, counting too many calories and body fat millimeters. Yeah, she's definitely right. Four repetitions down.

She thinks you've had too much cancer and you're abnormal and maybe you're even contagious and you would get sick again and wouldn't produce healthy children and wouldn't be around when they grow up. Five repetitions down. Keep reading, here.

Authors Are Rockstars at the Virginia Festival of the Book

I am in Charlottesville for the 2014 Virginia Festival of the Book, the largest educational book event on the east coast. My expectations are high, but fair—to be the Ryan Gosling of books for a few days. I'm bringing a pen everywhere for autographs, and wearing my tightest sweater to impress the librarians.
As a fanatic of the NCAA March Madness tournament which begins today, it takes an event like this to remove me from the television even for a couple hours. Even if I do not get hit on by a baby boomer librarian, I am super excited to be a participant in this wonderful festival. If you are in the Charlottesville area then come check it out! In return I promise to buy the first round of wings and beer tomorrow for basketball games. Being in Charlottesville where I went to school for five years and watched hundreds of March Madness games is bringing back awesome memories, and Hamburgers and I will pretend like we are 22 again, just with salad instead of fries and clear liquids instead of pales of Bud Lights or Bud Diesels.

I'll be participating on the Memoirs: Not Your Typical American Stories panel this afternoon at 4 p.m. at the Central JMRL Library, 201 E Market Street. Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. I'll be at Blue Whale Books, 115 E Main St, for a celebration of young writers. And on Saturday I will be at the Omni Charlottesville signing books ("Twice" and, um, Secrets).
My desire to share my story and books only goes so far—I canceled my RSVP to attend a special author's reception Saturday night because my Virginia Cavaliers are a #1 seed in the tournament and one of the six most likely teams to win the National Championship so I am headed to Raleigh, NC, Saturday afternoon to watch us play in the round of 32 on Sunday, praying that we first win tomorrow and don't become the first #1 seed to ever lose the first game!

Have a great March Madness weekend, my friends, and I'll let you know how that rockstar thing works out.