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Jul. 05, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal 10-year-old's record is in cards Leukemia patient means business with collection There's an exotic pet keeper and a man who charges $50 to pick up dead cattle. Comb through Brandon Rayner's three-ring binders, boxes and bags of business cards, and your fingers will also skid across those from law enforcement officers, doctors, attorneys, public relations firms and real estate agents. "I have every Realtor you can think of,'' said the 10-year-old, who is collecting business cards in an effort to someday be included in Guinness World Records. Brandon figures he must log more than 150,000, but there's no real number on record for the feat. So far, he's collected and sorted through just over 14,000, with hundreds more piling in daily at Sunrise Children's Hospital, where Brandon is undergoing care for leukemia. Since arriving at the hospital a month ago, Brandon has collected about 10,000 cards. Brandon's mission began about two years ago, just as his fascination with collecting miniature wrenches and keys started to fade. At the time, Brandon says, he was attracted to the different colors and designs of business cards. Today, though, his fancy is more than just about getting his name in the great book of records. Brandon's card collecting is providing him with a coping mechanism, said Dr. Jonathan Bernstein, a Las Vegas pediatric hematology oncologist. Brandon's future consists of a bone marrow transplant and several more rounds of chemotherapy. Although hospital staff considers him quite the bubbly and bright kid, having an acute illness can bring some emotional distress to a child, Bernstein said. "Something like this helps them greatly,'' he said. "Every day, he receives cards and they brighten his day. It's been very nice to see him cope with his illness. Except for about 15 minutes, his spirits have always been high.'' Within the next week or so, Brandon will be sent to Phoenix, where he will consult with a bone marrow specialist about a transplant. He will probably receive bone marrow transplants in between his next rounds of chemotherapy. His hospital room, which looks more like a young boy's bedroom, will be his address for a while, his mother said. Bernstein himself has made requests among other physicians and hospitals about providing Brandon with business cards. Bernstein said he's speaking with children's hospitals in California. Joe Rayner, Brandon's mother, has informed all of her out-of-state relatives and friends about her son's quest. She said her family accounts for most states. Already, Brandon has received cards from Alabama, Connecticut and California. Joe Rayner said she expects cards to come in from out of the country very soon. "I didn't think it would go this far,'' she said about her son's collection. "Ever since he was 2, he wanted to collect something. But it would only last a short period of time.'' As Brandon receives cards, he counts them and puts them into stacks of 100. Then he takes those 100 and categorizes them in alphabetical order based on the business name. A few of them have made their way into a black leather three-ring binder. Brandon says those cards are among his favorites, including one from a mixed martial arts company where he used to train. To be recognized as a Guinness record holder, candidates must register and fill out the proper forms. If people want to break an existing record, they will be sent current record details and the relevant rules and guidelines. If they're trying something that hasn't been done before or have already attempted a potential record, their suggestion will be forwarded to Guinness' research department for review. If there's interest in the new category, the necessary guidelines will be drawn up and sent to the individual, according to the Guinness Web site. Brandon's mother said everything happened so fast that they haven't even thought about the process. They are just following Brandon's lead. "I'm going for the world record,'' Brandon said. "I'm going to beat whoever has the most.'' Contact reporter Annette Wells at awells @reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283.
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