Singer, songwriter and cancer survivor, Charlie Lustman, is on mission to bring his musical message of hope to millions of people around the world.
After recovering from a one in 400 million diagnosed Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in his upper jaw in 2007, Charlie wrote and produced a collection of songs entitled, Made Me Nuclear, Charlie’s one-man pop opera chronicling his cancer journey. Since releasing MMN the soundtrack in 2008, Charlie has relentlessly toured with his musical message of hope in theaters, cancer centers, health conferences and survivorship events across America in what he now calls, The Musical HOPE Campaign!
With his brightly painted custom “love guitar” and prosthetic replacement jaw, Charlie brings inspiration, motivation, education and hope to millions of people worldwide with original songs that carry an empathetic lyric and melodies that have transformed the lives of those who have experienced his unique and powerful message.
Although Charlie’s story is a cancer survivor tale told through song, his overall theme is Universal; "Everyone I know is going through some kind of difficult life challenge. The idea is to "FLIP IT", he says. "The power of the mind can create your reality. Just focus on the opposite of what it is you are upset about and possibilities open up immediately! Look at me! I lost my upper jaw to cancer and now I am living my dreams and singing better than ever before! You know, what doesn’t kill you makes you sing better!"
The Musical HOPE Campaign officially kicks off this Spring and Summer across America. Charlie will take his inspirational and motivational musical message back to hospitals, cancer centers, survivor events, conferences, and schools throughout the USA!
Join the Musical HOPE Campaign on Facebook.
The HOPE Campaign is also on LinkedIn.
You can book a special presentation with Charlie by visiting the EVENT BOOKINGS page!
THE BEST MEDICINE by J. Rentilly, American Way Magazine
After a devastating diagnosis, CHARLIE LUSTMAN found that music was crucial to his recovery. Now he’s inspiring others with his autobiographical album, Made Me Nuclear.
Charlie Lustman remembers well the call that changed his life. The doctor told him he had an extremely rare form of cancer that would require the removal of a significant piece of his jaw as well as a year of chemotherapy. "Even then," the doctor had said, "don’t make any long-term plans."
While Lustman, a gifted singer/songwriter, wrestled with his diagnosis — only one in 400 million people suffer from his particular type of adult osteosarcoma annually and survival rates are iffy at best — he experienced a pre-surgery surge of creativity, recording a number of songs in honor of his son, Shaya. "And then I wondered if I’d sing another song again, ever," he says.
The answer was a resounding yes, as evidenced by Made Me Nuclear — “the Sgt. Pepper Cancer Album,” Lustman, 47, jokes — which offers unflinchingly honest, ultimately bullient songs about the long and winding road from diagnosis to NED (no evidence of disease). Now six years into his recovery, Lustman is on a world tour that is being partially bankrolled by biotech upstart Ziopharm Oncology (dates available at www.mademenuclear.com) and will perform at next month’s 17th annual Connective Tissue Oncology Society conference in Prague. He spoke to American Way about his passion project.
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