CRUISIN’ FOR A CURE TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL

CARSON LEV . March 12, 2023 . All Feature Vehicles

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The West Coast’s largest one-day charity car show whose primary mission is to fund prostate cancer research and provide free prostate cancer screenings

Cruisin’ for a Cure is the West Coast’s largest one-day charity car show with over 3,000 vehicles on display and over 150+vendors and exhibitors. Owners of the vehicles can cruise through the OC Fair & Event Center for 1.5 miles and/or park to just display their vehicles. The logistics, marketing, and organization of the show is all handled by volunteers dedicated to our cause of saving our men from prostate cancer. Be assured that your participation in the event and any donations go directly to prostate cancer research at the KSK Cancer Center of Irvine to help find a cure!

“You take care of your cars, you need to take care of your body.”

Cruisin’ for a Cure was started in 1999 by Debbie Baker whose husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer and lost his life in 2009 from this illness. It became and continues to be Debbie’s passion to do something for our men by bringing awareness of prostate cancer to help save their lives through the offering of free prostate screening at the event. Over the past 20+ years we have tested well over 15,000 men and saved more than 4,000+ men who would have never known they had a suspicious lump or prostate cancer. As Debbie tells the men, “You take care of your cars, you need to take care of your body.” “ We are very grateful to continue offering our free prostate screening to men 40 years and older. It is a simple blood test. We also offer the DRE (digital rectal exam). The testing results are sent to the KSK Cancer Center of Irvine where Dr. Tokida continues tracking all of the men over the years, as well as all the new men that take the advantage of the testing each year. The results are confidentially sent out within 7-10 days after the event from Dr. Tokida’s office. Dr. Tokida has been tracking returning participants each year and will personally call anyone that has a rise in their PSA, or a new participant that may have an elevated PSA.

Check out the website at cruisinforacure.com
and join us at the OC Fair & Event Center September 24, 2022.

How a car show saved my life

Or – Why Don’t Men Take Care of Their Bodies Like They Do Their Cars?

I am a lucky guy, luckier than I should be. But it really isn’t luck, it’s being blessed. It’s just easier for people to think of it as luck, removing all the religion stuff. You see if you’re lucky, you don’t have to pay back anybody. There’s no one to say thanks to when you drop your noggin on the pillow, no one to acknowledge and no one to owe your life to. However, it is very obvious to me, and hopefully to you after reading this, that it truly is blessings, and there is only one person to thank. We’ll call it what it is and move on.

Through my past job at Mattel Hot Wheels I am fortunate enough to go to lots of cars shows, the big ones like SEMA and Detroit Autorama, all the way down to the little local Saturday morning Donut Derelicts. I never really know if I am going for work or fun as the two have been fused into a passion with out a clear line between them. I’ll go to see some buddies and check out their cars and then I end up shaking hands on a Licensing Agreement. Or, I go to one of the traditional business shows like SEMA, and it’s a reunion of all my old car pals.

You see, I was lucky enough to grow up in the 50s during the heydays of Hot Rod and Racing, (you can tell I grew up in the 50s, no one today says “heyday”). I was plopped down in an area of So Cal that was the driver-welder-customizer-painter-pinstriper-fabricator epicenter of the racing/hot rod universe. Specifically, Lakewood CA. Within a few miles of my house were the shops of Larry Watson, Kenny Youngblood, Mickey Thompson, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, Kirby Race Cars, Mooneyham Blowers, Keith Black, Reath Automotive, Service Center Speed Shop, along with the great cruising boulevards of Bellflower, Tweedy and Whittier Blvd, and the Big Daddy of the Old School Drag Strips, LIONS.

Because of this proximity, I grew up with the kids of what seemed like every guy that ever drove a car, painted, wrenched, cut, welded and massaged metal. So, on the weekends if I wasn’t at the Drags, Marine Stadium, Ascot or Riverside, I was at Car Shows. I’d carry around a notebook full of my drawings and dedicate to paper and graphite, the cars that I had seen. You would think with all these Car Shows and races that I went to that I’d be sick, burned out, rung out. Never happened. I can’t get enough; the wife and kids will attest to that. It’s not gas in my blood; it’s a chemical cocktail of fiberglass, nitro, lacquer and 1 Shot lettering enamels. So, enough background, trust me I am the prototypical guy car.

One of the car shows I really enjoy is the Cruisin’ for a Cure. Cool Show, great organization, lots of cars-over 3,000, and all done and over in one day. Held at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, The event provides plenty of room for display and cruising. It is one of the few shows that encourage hot rodders to drive their cars– through the show. The fact that the event supports a great cause was cool, but didn’t concern me– a first.

You see the Cure they are Cruisin’ for is a cure for prostate cancer. It is the # 2 killer of men behind lung cancer, and every year, Debbie Baker, who is the founder and organizer, makes the rounds and tells every man she meets, “Make sure you get your PSA blood test!”. You see besides all the cool cars, and food and entertainment, Debbie has the KSK Cancer Center urologists and phlebotomists to set up their screening in the Anaheim Bldg. at the fairgrounds and test men for prostate cancer right there. You can choose the level of test you are comfortable with. The PSA blood test is simple, as they draw a small amount of blood and check for Prostate Specific Antigens, an early indicator of prostate cancer.

**“Red Phin”** – Carson Lev’s 1959 Chevy Bel Air was the spotlight feature in the April 2021 issue of Drive!

The first three years of the Cruisin’ for a Cure, every time I see Debbie the first word out her mouth are “Did you get your PSA blood test??” I blow her off every year with a “Leave me alone, I‘m young and healthy”, and “I want to go check out that chopped Merc!” After three years of avoiding the test, she tracks me down like a guy looking for a number matching manifold on a 409.

It’s year 4, the show is bigger than ever, and this time Debbie is not talking any brush-off crap from me. She comes up, grabs me by the arm and commands “Come with me, we are getting your blood test NOW!” She pushes me into her Golf Cart and covers the Fairgrounds in less time than it would take John Force, arriving at the Diagnostic trailer. The whole time I am popping off sarcastic remarks like “I hope this makes you feel better ‘cause there isn’t anything wrong with me”. And “Gee Mom can’t we just forget all this stupid test stuff?”

She waits as I get my blood test, and I exit the trailer with her telling me now we’ll both feel better. I am still thinking what a waste of time. I am quickly deposited back to my car and she is off like a bat outta the bad place to grab some other unsuspecting post 40s male.

What drives this lady to organize this event using 100s of hours of her personal time to pull this thing together? It’s personnel for her, very. You see her husband Jim passed away from prostate cancer. He was a great guy and he went through the hell getting answers and treatment. The reality is that prostate cancer is very treatable in early stages, but if you wait or ignore it, you’ll be in trouble big time. She is a Lady on a mission and it’s clear to me, and anybody else that comes in contact with her, that if it were up to her, there wouldn’t be another death… ever… due to prostate cancer.

The goals of the Cruisin’ for a Cure show are simple:

1)    Raise Funds for prostate cancer research-ALL the money raised goes to the KSK Cancer Center of Irvine
2)    Educate men and their families about the danger of prostate cancer
3)    Provide FREE PSA screening tests for men over 40 years of age.

So, I enjoy the rest of my day, checking out the cars, racing kids on the Hot Wheels track and settle back into my normal little life until… 2 weeks later, I get this strange envelope in the mail from some Medial Testing Company. Oh yeah, no biggie it’s just the results from my blood test at the Cruisin’ for Cure Show. I tear through and then my eyes stop on the large printed numbers 5.6% PSA. I read on to discover that anything over 4.0% PSA, means you could be at risk. Right below are the bold typed instructions. SEE YOUR DOCTOR. OK so it’s reality time. The message… I might have cancer. The Big “C”.

Cancer doesn’t care how much I tried to blow off Debbie Baker, doesn’t care about me, my family or the person I am, good or bad. It certainly doesn’t care about the next project I want to complete on my ride. It wants to consume my body and waste it away. It really doesn’t care about anything else.

Eventually I get scheduled for a biopsy, where they will use a needle to remove small pieces of tissue from the Prostate Gland and check for cancer. Just the thought of somebody taking little sample chunks of my internals gets me a little more than concerned. But it is the one near-absolute way to find out what the heck is going on in there. So they now 6 samples and I wait 10 painfully long days to get my results. One of the things I have learned is when the Nurse calls you; it’s probably good news. When the Doctor himself calls you, it isn’t going to be good. “Hello Doctor…” My news is not good. Of the 6 samples taken during my biopsy-ONE just ONE, comes back positive. That’s just 20%, hey not bad, right? Its only ONE little sample, right?? Well its kind of like being 20% pregnant. YOU STILL ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY, AND I STILL HAVE CANCER!

Through Debbie Baker, my physician Dr Scott Shiffman and the UCLA Medical Center I get a reference to Dr De Kernion who just happens to be the top dog at the prostate cancer center at UCLA. We discuss the many options and I decide that surgery to remove the cancerous prostate gland is the best answer for me. There are many options available from radiation therapy, radioactive seed implants, hormone therapy, freezing to surgery. I won’t discuss the many options as each have their pluses and minus. For me personally, I want to live a long time without ever worrying about this again. Get this damn thing outta me! Because I am young, healthy and the cancer is very early I am fortunate enough to be a candidate for what’s called “Nerve Sparring Surgery”. Basically, this surgical technique removes the cancerous gland and leaves the surrounding nerves intact. This thin layer of nerves surrounding the prostate gland controls a couple of important functions for us men; sexual function and urinary control. But, I can’t think of any two more important things right now.

It only takes two weeks from when I learn I have cancer until my surgery date. D-Day is August 18th, 2003. Surgery goes well and after the normal two days in the hospital I am at home recovering.

While at home I receive the call that will change the rest of my life – the results of the after-surgery biopsy of the complete prostate gland. Come to find out, that little small sample, the 20% sample, the only one out of five samples that came back positive. IT’S THE ONLY CANCER CELLS IN THE WHOLE GLAND! and BINGO! You, Carson Lev, have just won the cancer Lottery! What it means is no radiation treatment, no Chemotherapy, no puking, nausea, hair loss, near death poisoning…just go live the rest of my life. I AM CURED! I will just need to get regular PSA checks, just in case one tiny little microscopic SOB cancer cell got through. The chances are highly unlikely as the cancer was only in one small location.

During my follow-up visit Dr. de Kernion asks what it was that lead me to have my blood test, after all I was young, healthy and had no symptoms. I tell him the story of the Debbie and her persistence. Dr. de Kernion then tells me Debbie Baker was my “Guardian Angel” and she probably saved my life. If I had waited for a symptom, it may have been 10 years until a symptom appeared, and at that point I would have been fighting for my life. I take 5 weeks off and then back to work. Almost like it didn’t happen. Heck I hardly had time to even feel sorry for myself.

If I hadn’t gone to the Cruisin’ for a Cure Car Show, Debbie Baker would not have pushed me to get the PSA Test. Most men avoid that test…that’s why we die. It’s really pretty stupid. You see, fear is a big reason guys do nothing…and that is what kills them. Fear lets cancer take over. Fear and stupid pride. With early detection, most men will return to a full normal life within a matter of months. Normal as in your wife will still smile when you pass her in the hallway, and when it’s time to go to the bathroom you aren’t emptying a bag. The advances being made in prostate cancer research are unbelievable. But if you don’t get tested and stay stupid, you’ll die. In the case of prostate cancer, fear and stupidity equal death. So make your choice, get checked regularly if you’re over 45. So don’t be stupid. Get the check up now!!!

What’s hard to understand is this “Why do us men take such great care of our hot rods, and not our bodies?? Hell, if this were that Hot Rod car of yours’ acting up, you’d have it torn down and rebuilt in a day. You’d be all over it like lacquer on a lowrider. Would you wait for the piston to punch through the block before investigating that little tap-tap-tap sound? If you’re smart, you’ll treat your body like your car and take car of it. This means listening to the little signs. If you catch things early, you’re not picking up parts off the asphalt. The key to getting the most out of your ride is early detection of any possible problems. Same thing for your body.

The facts and figures are staggering: 220,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year. And 28,000 of those men will die. 28,000 husbands, fathers, uncles, brothers, cousins, friends and neighbors. It is a silent and very deadly killer. For such a deadly killer, it isn’t talk about a lot around men. Maybe the subject is just a little too delicate, maybe it just scares us men too much. Maybe we can change that just a little.

You see every man that lives long enough WILL get prostate cancer. If you are a guy, it’s probably in your body somewhere as you read this, like a little cancer time-release bomb waiting to pop off. Heart disease and other aliments tend to get much more publicity, but prostate cancer is still the #2 killer of men.

So here is the challenge, men. Take care of your body the way you would your best Hot Rod or Custom. This goes for all aspects of your body’s health. Isn’t it funny that a racer will spend tons of dough for a super trick lightweight part just to save a few ounces, and then pig out at lunch on that greasy heart disease on a bun?

When we drive our cars, we are completely in tune to every motor noise, every turn of the cam, every valve opening and closing, every turn of the crank and movement of the pistons. We know the date of the last oil change better than the last physical we had. If you expect to be “driving” that Hot Rod body of yours for years to come it’s time for some preventive maintenance. Or you could just drive it into the ground. It’s your choice.

But look on the bright side. You are going to fell better, be healthier, and live longer. Which means more car shows, more time with your hot rod, and more time with your family. Remember them, the ones that love you, and would like to have you around? This is the one car show you and all your buddies should go to, together. If you need an excuse to go the Cruisin’ for a Cure this year, just tell your wife “Honey, if you really love me you’ll want me to go. This Car Show could save my life!”

Remember September is prostate cancer Awareness Month which Debbie so diligently worked with others to get this passed through Congress and then finally having President Bush sign the proclamation, thus Cruisin’ For A Cure always held in September. Come out this year to Costa Mesa, California to the OC Fair & Event Center on September 24, 2022.

Carson Lev is the President of Red Phin, an automotive-based brand management firm. Carson is also a regular fixture at car shows and races throughout the West Coast. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in June 2003 and has been clear of cancer since August 2003. And…for 19 years now has enjoyed his family and 8 grandchildren.