DENHAM SPRINGS — After beating cancer in 2022, a beloved community member, known for his big smile and waving at everyone, is battling cancer again. His family is asking for the community’s support to help him through this time as they hold a benefit and raffle.
Ricky “RD” Beeson is well-known in his Denham Springs neighborhood for being a consistent smiling face at his home near a stop sign and the “paw paw of the neighborhood.” However, after being diagnosed with cancer in May, he hasn’t been outside as much, leaving people wondering if he’s OK.
Beeson’s daughter Ashlie Reulet said her dad and mom have had many struggles through the years, but this new cancer diagnosis has taken a lot out of her dad and is a bigger financial hurdle for the older couple this time around.
In 2022, Beeson was diagnosed with esophagus cancer while he was still working his job at a plant. He needed a risky surgery that took part of his stomach to help reconstruct part of his esophagus and then completed chemotherapy, after which he was declared cancer-free.
He ended up retiring from his job because of his health, his daughter explained. Since then, Beeson has also been taking care of his wife, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s a couple years ago and is unable to walk or care for herself. He has been her sole caretaker until recently.
Beeson and his wife live in a Denham Springs neighborhood in a house next to a stop sign, which is where people end up stopping and seeing him.
“And since he had to retire because of his cancer, he sits outside and waves at every single person that passes every day,” Reulet said.
This includes kids on the school bus and others who see him on their daily drive. He’s even known as “Santa” for his white beard, jovial attitude, and for going around the area dressed as Santa in his boat at Christmas.
However, for the past couple of months, Beeson hasn’t been able to greet his community very much.
In May, when Reulet took her dad to a follow up that he has every six months, doctors told them that his creatinine levels were “through the roof” and they should go to the ER.
“I’m thinking, you have to have the wrong person, because my daddy feels fine. He looks fine. He’s great,” Reulet recalled.
However, the doctors insisted that he go to the hospital to get checked out.
“So we go to the hospital and sure enough, he was in kidney failure. And not only did they find a tumor in his bladder, they found a spot on his liver. So they put stents in his kidneys, and then they went in, took the tumor out, and it came back as cancerous,” she said.
This time around, Beeson was diagnosed with bladder cancer and a type of liver cancer, Reulet told UWK. He is undergoing chemotherapy and then also has a chemotherapy pill he takes.
The pill has been “knocking him down,” making it difficult for Beeson to eat or have any desire to eat. His doctors have had to encourage him to eat just so that he can take the medicine necessary to treat the cancer.
“He’s just been down, and his spirit’s been down. So we’re trying to lift him up,” Reulet said.
Aside from the physical and emotional side effects, the treatments have been expensive for the retiree. Reulet said that although her dad has insurance coverage, every time he goes in for chemo, the bill is around $1,200.
Things are already financially tight for Beeson and his wife, especially since the 2016 flood and his retirement after his first battle with cancer. Reulet, who has been one of the caretakers for both her parents after this new diagnosis, said she is hoping to make things a little easier on them while her dad fights this new battle.
How to help: Upcoming jambalaya benefit
To help with funds for Beeson’s medical bills, Reulet and friends and family are holding a jambalaya benefit with a raffle that will take place on Friday, July 25th in Baton Rouge.
The family is asking for pre-orders to help with planning the food; their goal is a minimum of 200 plates. To order, text or email Reulet with the number of plates. Plates are $10 each, and for those ordering 5 or more plates, delivery is available.
Those interested in pre-ordering the jambalaya plate can pay with venmo or paypal (info available on flyer). Cash and checks are also accepted, however, the family is asking for pre-orders to help with planning.
The raffle will include large prizes like a charter fishing trip gift certificate, a gun from Bowie Outfitters, special jewelry from Mimosa Handcrafted, $100 American Express gift card, and more. There’s even a gift basket from Gordon McKernan included in the raffle.
“My dad loves Gordon. He thinks Gordon is his friend, because for a Super Bowl commercial one year, they said, ‘Hey, send in your best jingle dance.’ My dad loves to dance, so we sent in a video of him dancing, and Gordon put it in the Super Bowl commercial. So Dad tells everybody he knows Gordon,” Reulet explained while chuckling.
Proceeds from the benefit and raffle will go toward Beeson’s medical expenses and other bills that he and his wife need assistance with.
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