There’s Ben a Tumor Named Bubba (ft. Risa August)

This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben sits down with author, speaker and endurance athlete Risa August for an incredible conversation about what happens when the life you carefully planned suddenly takes a completely different road. For nearly seven years, Risa knew something in her body wasn’t right. Despite unexplained weight gain, headaches, changes in her body and eventually debilitating symptoms, she says she was repeatedly told by doctors that she was fine. Finally, Risa insisted on an MRI—and one week later learned she had a tumor at the base of her brain and a rare disease called acromegaly. Brain surgery removed part of the tumor, but doctors discovered the remaining portion was wrapped around her carotid artery and couldn’t safely be removed. Faced with radiation, lifelong medication and a body she no longer recognized, Risa found herself sitting on her couch in a pair of “gnarly gray sweatpants” wondering what her life was supposed to look like now. Then she asked herself a different question: What can I do? Her answer? Ride a bicycle from Canada to Mexico. Risa shares how that 41-day journey changed her relationship with her body, perfectionism and the expectations she’d spent much of her life trying to meet. She also introduces Ben to “Bubba”—the name she gave the tumor she still lives with today—and explains why humor became part of how she reclaimed ownership over something that once terrified her. Ben and Risa talk about medical self-advocacy, resilience, humor as a coping mechanism, letting go of perfection, taking life’s biggest goals one tiny step at a time, and why changing your life doesn’t necessarily require changing everything overnight. In this episode: The symptoms Risa experienced for nearly seven years before her diagnosis Why she finally insisted that her doctor order an MRI Learning she had a brain tumor and acromegaly Brain surgery, radiation and discovering part of the tumor was inoperable Why Risa named her remaining tumor “Bubba” Going from Ironman athlete to struggling to get off the couch The “gnarly gray sweatpants” moment that changed her perspective Deciding to bike from Canada to Mexico Riding for 41 days with only a handful of rest days Letting go of perfection and the person she thought she was supposed to be Why humor can be powerful during life’s darkest moments The difference between a huge life change and taking one small step Risa’s award-winning book The Road Unpaved Choosing what “living” looks like every single day Learn more about Risa and follow her journey: Website: https://www.risaaugust.com Instagram: @risaunleashed https://www.instagram.com/risaunleashed/ TEDx Talk — “How a Single Word CAN Rebuild Your Life”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK9SITnpvcA 🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell. 📍 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Wherever you get your podcasts 🔗 Connect with Ben: Instagram: @itsbenaweek TikTok: @itsbenaweek Website: itsbenaweek.com 💬 Want to be on the show? Submit your story or pitch at itsbenaweek.com