Susan Binau

Susan Binau (née Bøje Rasmussen) born March 15, 1964 in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a global philanthropist, published author, motivational speaker, businesswoman, and cancer survivor. Binau has developed resources for families to use when coping with the death or imminent death (hospice care) of a friend or family member.

Family & Education

Binau (born in 1964), and sister Helle Bøje Holm, were born to mother Jytte Anna Christiansen and (late) father Peter Bøje Rasmussen. Binau is the mother to four children; Christina Binau Bonnor (born 1988), Malene Binau Bonnor (born 1991), Christian Binau Bonnor (born 1996) and Anders Frederik Binau (born 2004), and she married music producer Alan Binau in August 2004.

Binau’s education includes degrees from Roskilde University (RUC), Master in Adult Education and Human Resource Development; Danmarks Pædagogiske Universitet, P.D. (Bachelor) Educational planner, and an Adult Teaching Degree (Aarhus_Universitet Danmarks Lærerhøjskole). In addition, Binau completed Marketing and Leadership training through the Danish Bachelor of Commerce accreditation program and holds certification in cognitive behavioral and psychological testing; Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MTI), Jungian Type Index (JTI), Belbin Self Perception Inventory, Occupational Personalities Questionnaires (OPQ).

Awards and Accolades

  • USA 2014: National Association of Professional Women “Woman of the year 2014”
  • Canada 2012: Honored as a WOMAN OF ACTION and 'alumna of The World Hub for Women Leaders' By A Celebration of Women, Canada.
  • Denmark 2009: Business Award. Danish Minister of Education, Inger Stojberg, awarded the inaugural North Zealand Business Award to Binau’s Company (Vfactor A/S) in recognition of the company's progressive leadership programs for women
  • Miss Denmark, 1985
  • Miss Friendship, at the 25th International Pageant (Japan, 15 September 1985)

Angels Package

As a result of a cancer diagnosis in October 2006, Binau began to consider other ways that she could put her experience and energy to work to help families of seriously ill patients. Binau had envisioned how “easy”, simple and important it would be to create a “hands on tool” that hospital staff could distribute to terminally ill patients and their loved ones. That vision became a reality when she developed the Angels Package. When this project began, Binau did not have a budget to work with; she spray painted the first angels in her garage in Florida, and then brought the first prototypes with her in a suitcase to Denmark. At this time, her father was dying and Susan arrived from the USA just in time to say goodbye. As the first recipient of an Angel Package, he was surrounded by angels and calming music from MusiCure when he passed away. This loss taught Binau some important lessons that she later described in the national Danish newspaper Søndagsavisen. The life lessons learned through this difficult time were integral to the development of Binau’s short publication “Dignity in the final hours” (Vaerdighed I sidste stund).

Building Awareness

In the following years, Binau embraced a role as “the voice of the families and children”, advocating and participating as much as possible in the media, and on national television and radio to build awareness about the needs and challenges of families facing terminal or serious illness. After facing serious illness in their own relationship and understanding that sharing their own experience may help other couples with the difficult challenges encountered during the illness of a partner, Susan and husband Alan Binau co-authored the book "Till Sickness Do Us Part - How Love Survives in Difficult Times", published by Gads Forlag. Addressing the difficult topics of illness, death and dying in her books was a way to create awareness around a harmful cultural taboo. Sharing her own experiences and the experiences of her family opened much needed community and international dialog on this topic, ultimately leading to speaking engagements throughout Denmark and beyond. Through these engagements, Binau speaks to patients, patient families, and healthcare professionals to provide motivation, inspiration, and guidance.

Cancer Survivor & Entrepreneur

During chemotherapy Binau co-founded the company Vfactor A/S with Charlotte Alexandra Pedersen. This was something that Binau and Pederson had planned and discussed for a long time, and they persisted in this work and vision despite the unwelcome challenges presented by Binau’s chemotherapy treatments and recovery from surgery. Binau is credited with developing new educational concepts including ”Value Academy” and “Charter Academy" and building a strong mentor network of CEOs from some of the most prominent Danish companies. Within the first couple of years, the client-base and vast network of Vfactor A/S had grown to include some of Denmark’s largest corporations including AP Møller Mærsk and Microsoft. The company also established successful collaborations with notable politicians.

Advocate

In 2009 Binau made the decision to fully focus on being an advocate for families dealing with terminal illness. In an article written by Amy Patt, Binau emphasized how important it is to share experiences with like-minded people (patients, families, and friends) in order to avoid loneliness and isolation. This concept was the driving motivator behind Binau’s success in founding charities on two different continents while working with minimal financial resources.

Founder of Charities for Families

In 2011 Binau founded the Danish charity Landsforeningen Støtte før Afskeden, together with composer Niels Eje. The MusiCure CD sampler included in the patient donation package is an important component. The music on the CD consists of soundscapes which use a scientifically based method to induce calm and soothing therapeutic effects for listeners. Also in 2011, Binau founded USA-based AngelKIT Foundation. AngelKIT was renamed as the Angel Care Family Foundation in 2013, under a collaboration with Binau’s new partner and cofounder, Barbara Kubala (Ace Pay it Forward Foundation). Previously, Binau founded and managed an additional charity, The Female Courage Foundation.

Kids helping kids

In 2013, Binau’s nine year old son Andy (Anders) handed Susan a book called “Max the Super Dog’s Pet Shop Adventures”. Andy said that he wanted to give his Mom a helping hand, so had created the activity book as a gift for hospitalized children. This booklet became an important part of a new donation program, the AngelKID (HJERTEPAKKE package) Heart Package, for children who are relatives of a terminally ill patient. The AngelKID package program was launched through the Danish Charity founded by Binau, Landsforeningen Støtte Før Afskeden [National Association for Support Before Parting], and the launch publicized during a national bus campaign and on national television, with Ambassador Cecilie Lind (age 25) and her sister Fiona (age 9), sisters who lost their mother in 2012 after a short battle with cancer. The book 'Max the Super Dog's Adventures' and Heart Package Donations were further publicized by Susan and Andy Binau during a fall 2014 campaign in Denmark.

Heart Packages (Hjertepakken, Danish) have been donated to over 1000 children. The project received support from several large foundations including Harboefonden, Tømrerhandler Johannes Fog Fonden, Fonden Brand af 1849, Møenbrogaard Fonden, and the Lego Foundation. In 2012, Binau partnered with Danish Actor Christian Heldbo Wienborg to begin fundraising and production of an international television documentary program designed to demonstrate that discussing, understanding, preparing for, and coping with the death of loved ones is a natural part of life and should not be a cultural taboo.

Speaking career

An experienced speaker, Binau has traveled internationally to share her personal and professional experiences and successes with patients, patient families, healthcare professionals, and other audiences around the globe. Her time is split between homes in the USA and Europe.

Author

Books

  • Mummy, can I have your PC, if you die? CeoNeo Books 2008
  • Mommy, can I have your PC, if you die?: A Cancer Survivor's Story (abridged, English translation), Create Space Publishing 2011
  • Mummy, can I have your PC, if you die? (2nd edition), Forlaget Indblik, 2012
  • Find your networking style, Ceoneo Books, 2008
  • A dignified passing, Morpho Publishing, 2009
  • Till sickness do us part–how love survives difficult times, Gads Forlag, 2009

Other Publications

  • A dignified passing - an inspirational booklet for relatives of a terminally ill or dying patient, Landsforeningen Stoette for Afskeden, 2013

Community Volunteer Contributions

Florida Hospital Hospice; Commissioned Stephen Minister, Presbyterian Church (Celebration, Florida); Community Hope Center serving the homeless of Osceola County, Florida