By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN
Special to Hays Post
Just like in years past, Randy Beck had been thinking about what to get for his wife, Shayla, for Mother’s Day.
He gathered their four young sons together to ask for ideas of what they wanted to give their mother this year, along with their personal handmade cards.
Shayla always looks forward to her sons’ personal cards. But ask her what she would like for Mother’s Day this year, and she will tell you she has only one wish: for her husband to be around for more Mother’s Days and Father’s Days and every other holiday for years to come.
The Beck family’s life changed dramatically back in January when Randy learned he had Stage IV metastatic melanoma, a fast-spreading cancer.
Four months following surgery and multiple treatments, the Becks celebrate every holiday – every day – with gusto.
One of those will be today.
“People sometimes ask me if we wish we had a girl,” Shayla said. “We are just grateful we had four healthy kids, four healthy boys. Now with all this with Randy, we are just grateful to be together as a family, period.”
Randy said if anyone out of his family had to undergo a bout with cancer, he is glad it’s him.
“I was definitely glad it was me and not Shayla or one of the boys,” he said. “I believe that God gives his hardest battles to his strongest and his toughest people. I’ve grown up playing sports, and I’ve been a competitor my whole life. I will be the one that beats this.”
Support from near and far
The Becks have local ties. Shayla grew up in Hays, and Randy is from Claflin. They met while Randy was playing football at Fort Hays State University, got married and started raising their family in Hays.
They moved to Oklahoma about four years ago when Randy received a promotion with his company, Pepsi Beverages Co.
So news of Randy’s diagnosis spread quickly, and support of family and friends came pouring in from near and far.
Grandparents and other relatives have gone to stay with the boys when Randy and Shayla travel to Houston for treatments.
The outpouring of generosity, even from people they don’t know, has overwhelmed the Becks with gratitude.
Someone started a T-shirt fundraiser to help with travel expenses, and neighbors organized a meal train for the family. A lawn company has offered to mow the Becks’ yard the entire summer.
The latest fundraiser is a raffle spurred by a donation of two beef quarters from PJ and Kim Nowak, owners of Double Tree Feeders out of Gotham, and Rob and Michelle Corley from Victoria.
The raffle is still ongoing until May 19, with the drawing on May 20. Tickets can be purchased by texting Shayla at 785-656-2618 or her mom, Janice Maska Jacobs, at 785-365-9595.
“You just don’t realize how much people care until something like this happens,” Randy said. “We have gotten to know some people in Tulsa (since they moved there), but so many others we have never met have really stepped up to help. Prayers, cards, texts … It’s amazing. All this changes how you look at everything.”
Dealing with alarming news
Life seemed to be humming along quite perfectly for the Becks after moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in October 2020.
Randy enjoyed his new job, Shayla was working in the area as a real estate agent, and their boys were getting settled in their new surroundings.
Then last August, Randy discovered a lump in front of his right ear.
It was first diagnosed as a swollen lymph node, but antibiotics didn’t faze it. By the end of October, a CT scan was ordered after Randy started losing weight.
After the lump was diagnosed as cancerous, it was removed, and Randy started recovering from the 9-inch incision down his neck.
Following the surgery, the Becks decided to get a second opinion for a treatment plan at MD Anderson in Houston, the world’s largest cancer center. There, doctors recommended a schedule for radiation and immunotherapy.
He will continue to make the 8-hour trip to Houston for monthly immunotherapy treatments throughout the next year, then return for scans every three months for the next two years. The time between scans will decrease in the next few years, but Randy will have to undergo at least a yearly scan for the rest of his life.
There is always a chance the cancer will spread; this particular type of melanoma is aggressive, with a high percentage of recurrence.
But the Becks will deal with whatever comes their way as a family, along with all the other people in their corner.
‘We’re in this together’
Randy has been able to return to work as a territory sales manager for Pepsi, even around the immunotherapy treatments.
He had coached his oldest son’s football team for several years but is not yet certain if he will be able to do so this year.
If not, he will still be on the sidelines as one of Eli’s biggest cheerleaders.
A hands-on dad, Randy is grateful to be able to continue spending time outdoors with Eli, 10; Zayne, 8; Kyzer, 6; and Sutton, 5.
“Immunotherapy and chemotherapy are different,” Randy explained. “I’ve had hair loss and some sores and blisters from radiation, but hardly any side effects from immunotherapy.”
However, the unknown has become his family’s “new normal.”
“It definitely affects your whole life – and everyone around it,” Shayla said.
Randy and Shayla said they decided from early on to fight this as a family, which included involving their sons.
When possible, the boys have been involved with the fundraisers, and the Becks plan to take them all to MD Anderson at one of Randy’s summer appointments to learn more about the whole process.
“We have always told them the truth,” Shayla said.
Does that frighten them?
“Absolutely,” Randy said. “But I told them ‘I’m scared, too.’ They have a lot of questions. We all have a lot of questions. We’ll get them answered together.”
“I believe God has kept me here for Shayla and the boys for a reason,” Randy insisted, “and I’m going to continue to be here for them.”