A Special Message
Last September, I learned that one of my good friends from high school was battling breast cancer. Not only that, but her husband had been out of work for over a year and she was only able to even see a doctor after it had begun to spread. She has been able to get treatment, but it will be many more months before she can stop chemotherapy. In the meantime, her husband is still out of work and they are struggling to keep their home and take care of their two small children.
When I learned about this, I wanted to help in any way I could…and thought of a way to use Fright-Rags to help raise awareness for Breast Cancer and help Leisha with her financial situation.
So, we came up with an idea to design and produce a t-shirt to sell and donate 100% of the profit to Leisha and her family. On October 6, 2010, “We Belong Alive” was released:
The result was nothing short of astonishing. The comments, emails, and support that flooded in were amazing, and we sold out of our first print run in just a few hours. We took test orders for a second run and in less than two weeks we had raised $7,000 for Leisha. To see how this story touched so many others was unreal. So many people had known someone who had either lost their life to this terrible disease, or even was a survivor themselves.
In the months that followed, I kept in touch with Leisha to see how she was doing. But chemo treatments cause fatigue, and now she started receiving radiation treatments as well. And while her struggle continues, her spirits are high and we all have faith that she, too, will beat this.
When I presented her the check, she was a bit taken aback by how much we had raised. It was clear that we had made a difference and for that I am prouder than words can express. She couldn’t thank me enough and she wanted so badly to express her thanks and gratitude to everyone for their kind words and support.
Just the other day she sent me an update on her condition, and along with it a note. She asked that I pass it along to you, so here it is below:
Thank you SO much to Ben and his Fright-Rags team, and to all of you who have supported my family with the purchase of one of Fright-Rags’s AMAZING breast cancer t-shirts. Ben has spoken of the horror film community as a family–and I can clearly see that this is so. Thank you all for your support & generosity as I continue to fight this terrible disease. Though it sometimes makes me feel like I’m in a horror film of sorts, I often (every single day) find myself feeling grateful for the wonderful people I have in my life (like Ben and all of you) who are rallying around me (and my family). Thank you so much for your support… Leisha xoxoxo
And let me say thank you again for all of your support and generosity. The response to all of this proved to me just how small this world can be…and how tight-knit we are as a horror community. And I am honored to be a part of it.
- Ben
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this is just awesome!… what great thing to do! and i absolutly love the artwork! where can i get one!?!?!
Hi Heather – Unfortunately we are all sold out. We’ve thought about reprinting them in October for Breast Cancer Month, but not sure yet.
you gotta reprint them!
Please reprint!
It’s a beautiful shirt that always elicits a response when I wear it and I am happy to have contributed to such a worthy cause. Should you print some more I know a few keen customers who missed out the first time around. All the best to Leisha you are in our thoughts.
I’m so glad that I purchased this shirt. Not only is it an incredible design but it was for such a worthwhile cause. My mother passed away from breast cancer when I was only 9 and I’ve always wanted to donate money for the cause but found myself wondering if my donation would ever really help someone.
This was a way for me to know that my donation was going to help someone directly that was being affected. All my best to Leisha and a thank you to Fright Rags for giving myself and everyone else a chance to help.
This is an awesome story. I’m a photographer in the Atlanta GA area and donate a lot of time every year to various cancer research and other charities. This is the first time one of my donations has been so personal.
Thanks for keeping us in the loop.
Richard
No need to thank us…… that’s what friends are for !
also… I get MAJOR remarks ( good ones ) about the shirt….
The shirt is beautiful, I absolutely love it! And I also get a ton of positive feedback when I wear it. I hope Leisha feels better soon, best wishes to her and her family.
Even my 91 year old grandmother commented on how nice the shirt is. If you decide to reprint, I’ll get her one and she can wear that puppy around the old folks home she’s in. She’s a cool old lady with an eye for quality
Plus, always good to support friends in need!
this is an amazing shirt done for an amazing woman! it’s great to know that my funds went directly to a real person. I love my shirt and wear it a lot! if another shirt was done I’d be more than happy to buy it!
Love and light to Leisha and her family! also to Ben for being such an amazing person!
Leisha, my mom is going through stage 4 pancreatic cancer right now and I know how horrible a disease this is. I would just like to say God Bless and you will continue to be in my family’s prayers. I have also received MANY comments on this shirt!
Nice that so many of us could do a little to help out and it makes such a big difference. My Mom passed away due to breast cancer a decade ago, and I try to help out for the cause whenever I can. Anything to alleviate the suffering even a little bit means so much to the victim of the disease and their families and loved ones. This is FEEL GOOD news, Ben. Good to hear it during these tough times! Oh, and I love the shirt!
Thanks for the update. Stay strong with your battle and best wishes.
I run zombieinfo.com (as the Zombieking), and the zombiequeen has been going through EXACTLY what you are the past 2 years. I can tell you this… fight and keep your spirits high- it WILL get better! She is now past her chemo and radiation, it’s all just drugs and followups now, and she’s my fucking hero…
Her hair is in a sassy new style, and she’s getting better every day! When it happened she just stepped up and decided “I’m going to OWN this…” She cut her own hair off before it would go, and stayed positive, even if all she could do was take a walk to the backyard… and she read…OH how she read (70 books in 3 months!) she said it helped her focus. I check out fright rags pretty regularly, so when I saw this, I had to post on it.
We love the shirts, we both bought one, and I made a point to promote it on the site. We get comments on them all the time, and I would love to see a reprint or similar design! Fright Rags is easily my favorite Tee shirt place because they showed they have a heart, and they helped show that the community has one too…and not just in the fridge!
Leisha, because of this we all get to be a part of your story… thank you for that.
Hi Ben, Please let us know if you do a reprint. I missed out the first time it ran but, then again, thankfully, it sold out that quickly! I wanted to pass some info on to Leisha. My sister has been battling cancer for years. She has gotten involved with Cancer Treatment Centers of America. They are doing some amazing work with alternative treatments. My sister participated in a stem cell experiment and is now cancer free. They have had amazing results – 98%! They also work with the patients who have financial needs. Please pass the info along to her – I’d love to see her cancer free with those kids!!!
I wear this shirt all the time. Any month outta the yr. I am happy that this shirt was produced for such a good cause. I know a few women who have battled cancer. Wish there was more I could do. Best wishes to all of those people who have friends or family members who r fighting this shitty disease. Leisha god bless you! Keep on fighting! Again, this shirt kicks some serious ass.
FRIGHT RAGS ROCKS!!! They are “ALIVE…ALIVE!!!!”
ive woren mine with pride sence i got it and people at my work have scene it and told me if you ever reprint to tell them cause they would love to get one…plus i wouldnt mind buying another one!~
Just remember there’s always a survivor in horror. Kill it with an axe and let’s pray for no sequels. I wear my shirt proud for my sister and those who battle that wretched beast.
Love the shirt (and the update), and I’m happy I got a chance to help someone!
I would also love to have one of these shirts!!!
I am a proud owner of this awesome shirt, and I work in an outpatient oncology clinic, so I see the ravages of this horrible disease daily. I’m glad to have helped.
Hi Leisha,
I help run the zombieinfo.com website and was only to happy to help promote the shirts. As my husband said in a previous post I just went through the same thing in 2009-2010, so my heart went out to you. I went through the surgery, chemo and radiation as well. It is a tough road. Stay strong, you can do this – you will find reserves of strength you never knew you had.
My husband and I both bought shirts and I wore mine to one of my visits to my surgeon – him and his assistant both loved it and the story behind it. I plan on wearing it this weekend as there is a “Weekend to End Women’s Cancers” event where we live that I am planning to attend.
what an awesome response that has come from this wonderful idea- and what an amazing show of support. thanks ben for being there for leisha and their fam, we always knew you were a good egg! we can now see so are all the peeps out there who patron your site…i am reminded daily of all the good in the world- even when facing so much that is bad…everyone just needs to remember that each one of us can only do our part…and that part means a lot, even if small. it’s a battle everyday, without facing life threatening illness like leisha- but we can all win in a way, by not letting it get the better of us…thanks everyone for being there for the most angelic girl on earth, leisha.
I bought a few of these shirts for myself and some of my female friends. Not only because the design was amazing but because it was for such a good reason. I’ve lost two aunts to breast cancer since I was a kid and being able to help someone fight it in anyway is a wonderful thing. Ben you’re a great person and I wish Leisha a speedy recovery and the best of health in the future.
Leisha!
my thoughts and prayers are with you! my aunt is a breast cancer survivor and i was happy and proud to buy the ‘we belong alive’ t-shirt for you and for the cause! YOU ROCK and you hang in there!
Please please please consider reprinting these. I need at least two back ups in case anythi g happens to this one. Im afraid to wear it because it cannot be replaced! You could donate the proceeds to a breast cancer charity ,your friend in particular or whatever it takes but really,these are a treasure and amazing singular art.-amy
Awesome story and amazing shirt. Please considering reprinting these this year.