My Speech tonight at Dancescape 2103 to bring awareness and giving to the causes of Ronald McDonald House and the Fight Against Cancer: Two Things You Need to Know… Two things about me… • Good evening to you all and welcome to Dancescape 2013. • My name is Rudy Beeching, a humble banker for Iberiabank peddling loans and deposits by day and engaged with my loving family nights, weekends, and whenever I can! • I want to talk with you tonight about 2 things you should know. • 2 things you should know about me; 2 things you should know about Ronald McDonald House; 2 things you should know about cancer; and 2 things you should know about why we are all here. • A few years ago, someone I consider more than a friend, said something very curious to me. • He said, “Rudy, I have always considered you a smart and intelligent man; however, I understand you begin your day, every day, by reading a Bible and praying. • How does someone like you believe in that stuff? • As I used part of that time this week meditating upon Dancescape 2013, it became clear to me that there are 2 things you need to know as I begin my time with you. • One is that I am a man who reads and believes that stuff of the Bible and you will have to judge whether that makes me smart or dumb. • The second thing you need to know is that I firmly believe that tonight I am only a messenger. • The words come from our Creator to us all, and they reveal our purpose for being here this evening…It’s no accident we are here right now. Two things about Ronald McDonald House… • So the first message I’ve been sent to share is about Ronald McDonald House…one of the charities highlighted by our event. • Two things you need to know about Ronald McDonald house are these: • First: I have lived there, and it is a wonderful place. • My wife Lisa, my daughter Sierra, and I lived there for 4 weeks. • Since 4 months of age, Sierra has battled with a serious gut disorder known as micro-villus inclusion disorder. • Short story is that she does not absorb nutrition like most of us. The result is that we spent 120 nights a year at Texas Children’s Hospital for most of her life; and the IV nutrition keeping her alive was also killing her liver. • Over the years her skin became yellow jaundice, and she would itch without end. • Some kids thought it was funny to call her Grinch because of the greenish tint in her eyes. • Two years ago, that liver began failing. Her vitamin K levels dropped to a point where we received a call late on a Saturday night in September of 2011. • We were instructed to get to a Beaumont Hospital ER quickly. We were living there at the time. • I will never forget the words of a rather insensitive ER Doctor saying that Sierra was showing classic signs of liver failure. • Even more vividly, I remember her telling me, “I don’t want to die tonight, Daddy.” • I assured her she would not die that night, and we began a 60 day journey that included being listed for liver transplant. • One week later, at 2:51 in the morning the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we got the call and Sierra underwent successful liver transplant surgery. • After 4 days of recovery in the hospital, we were released to Ronald McDonald House so we could remain within 5 miles of the hospital. • You have to be near for the multiple blood draws and monitoring post transplant.. • The second thing you need to know about Ronald McDonald House is what happens there… • People will walk into RMH a bit shy; not unlike entering your dorm room for the first time…or your cabin at camp. • But the experience of our family reminds us that a heart beat later a kinsmen ship and a love will develop among those fighting the same fight. • Healing takes place. • Not just the physical healing of surgical wounds, but emotional wounds will heal also. • Like a child who is no longer jaundice from a failing liver and realizes that never again will they call her Grinch in school because her eyes are yellow. • A healing that occurs when a kidney transplant patient wakes one day, has energy for the day at hand and thinks to herself, “so this is what it’s like to be normal.” • Ronald McDonald House’s dream of helping people will changes and renews lives. • It’s so important we are here tonight in support of RMH. There are two things you need to know about Cancer… • The first thing is that we were touched by in our family again this week. • For friends here, no it was not tied to my wife Lisa’s lymphoma; my lovely wife was diagnosed with Cancer in March of 2007, and for now, is see slow to no growth in her disease. • Cancer touched us through an extended family which formed via Face book Group Page labeled Sierra Beeching Transplant. • That family includes Gabriella…another Chronic Care Child. • Not fighting bowel disorders, or liver failures. She is fighting brain cancer relentlessly progressing. • Here is the post that touched us all this week from Gabriella’s Mom: o Mark & I started our day at a cemetery looking for a burial plot for our ten year old daughter. We had to make a decision as to which funeral home we wanted to use. Our day ended with Gabriella asking us if she was going to make it. She wouldnt use the word die. We held her hands & looked her in the eyes & told her that there were no other options to help her. We had to reassure our Sweet G that she was going to be alright. That our love doesnt disappear, it goes with her. Gabriella asked us how much time she had left. With Mark & I sobbing & Gabriella hyperventilating & crying she shoves her lovey - a stuffed animal, Baby Turk from Tarzan - at me & says she wants me to have him. This is her stuffy that always makes her feel better. She wants ME to have it! Oh, God, I HATE cancer! We, all of us, have failed our children so miserably. It is criminal that our beautiful, innocent children are going through these out-dated & tortuous treatments with such bleak outcomes. No child & parent should have the conversation that we just went through. Devastated beyond words. • The second thing you need to know about cancer is that we are so close to defeating it. • I recently heard the President of M. D. Anderson Cancer Center state that during his term as President, they will eliminate 10 or more forms of Cancer. Put it into the history books. • We are so close. • Join in the spirit of Dancescape and commit to defeating this insidious family of diseases. • Give your prayer, money, and volunteer your time to seeing it end. • We are here tonight to be a part of putting Cancer into the history books forever. • As Gabriella’s mother alluded to, no parent, No spouse, No sibling. • No one should have to go through this if we can prevent it. Last two things you need to know about why you are here… • The first is, “we’ve been called here tonight to help.” • Again and again in that early morning time of meditation I could see clearly that it is no accident that we are here for a reason. • To whom much is given, much is required. • These dancers are giving their talents and their time to raise awareness and support for RMH and the fight against cancer. • We have a chance to join them by not only buying ticket tonight, but participating in the auctions, and raffles and whatever other fundraisers are taking place here around us tonight! • The second thing you need to know is this… • It’s time to go crazy people!! • Can I share with you that there is no better feeling than being the winning bidder on a silent auction item, taking home your prize, and waking up the next morning going, “Oh my God what did I do last night??” • A colleague of mine at the bank joined me for an event and go to bidding on this travel package to New York and when the bidding got to $3,500 he looked at me and said, what do you think boss? • I casually responded, “the first class airfare alone is worth $5,000.00” • He turned and yelled, “$5,000.00!!!” And won the item. • Our eyes met, and you could see the panic in his eyes!!!! What have I done he said. His wife was in shock. • Upon returning from his one week, first class, five star week, in New York City, he told me, “It’s the best thing I have ever done. My wife and I were like young loves again and it really put some renewal and romance back into our terrific marriage.” • Go crazy people!! Dig deep. • You might refresh your marriage; you might be a part of a child’s dream to longer be called Grinch; you might even cure Cancer. • I love you all. That’s why we were called here tonight. Enjoy this wonderful evening!
Posted on: Sat, 02 Nov 2013 21:27:21 +0000
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