Theismann: It takes special kind of person to take on cancer challenges

DEXTER — Kerri Kruse opened the banquet with a quote from legendary college basketball coach Jim Valvano’s ESPY speech, “If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day.”

“We are going to do all three tonight,” Kruse told roughly 500 in attendance at the Dexter Elk’s Lodge.

She was right.

The 15th annual banquet for the 18 Fore for Life charity, which is moving ever closer to the $3 million mark in love offerings, featured local cancer survivor Mark Guethle and Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann.

Theismann opened telling the crowd when cancer is spoke it often just the person with cancer that is spoke of and the family and caregivers are not mentioned. They deserve credit for what they do.

He told those in attendance they didn’t know how wonderful they were. He spoke of how it took a special kind of person to take on the challenges cancer causes.

“When you walk home and walk into your bathroom,” said Theismann. “Look in that mirror and you tell that person that they are special.”

Theismann told the crowd that professional athletes are not heroes. The military are heroes, as is the police and firefighters.

Theismann spoke of changes and how they are experienced by everyone. He told of the two he faced. The first is his name. It is actually pronounced Theesmann. The sports information director at Notre Dame changed the pronunciation to rhyme with Heisman, as in the Heisman Trophy. The director made this change because he believed it would increase his chances of winning the Heisman Trophy. Theismann finished second.

The second was the career ending leg injury he suffered against the Giants during a Monday night game. He said he had been having a rough season. As he left the locker room he slapped the Redskins logo by the door which he always did. Normally he said nothing. This time he said, “Joe tonight your life is going to change.” During the second quarter he suffered the leg injury that would end his career.

Theismann challenged everyone in attendence to write down over the next two weeks what they want personally, professionally, financially and spiritually.

Theismann encouraged everyone to pursue what they wanted with all of their passion.

Guethle took the crowd through a full gambit of emotions when the took the podium. From his early life playing high school and college basketball and meeting his wife Sharon, he explained he was living the dream. At age 54, he had a wife, two children and five grandchildren. A routine physical changed everything.

His PSI came back high which he explained didn’t immediately mean cancer. Other possibilities such as infection were possible. Despite no symptoms a biopsy led to a prostate cancer diagnosis. Guethle encouraged all of the men in attendance to get checked because he had no idea he had cancer.

Guethle said cancer affects all around you. He used a story to make this point about his grandson Will spending the night. The bedtime routine was Sharon would get Will ready for bed and call Mark into the bedroom. Will would lay between Mark and Sharon on the bed while Mark told him stories until he went to sleep. At which time Will would be carried to his bed.

The first time Will stayed over after the cancer diagnosis things went differently. Will was 5 at the time. Sharon prepared Will for bed, but didn’t call Mark. Guethle stated he entered the room to check things out and Will was laying to the outside of Sharon. He asked Will if he wanted to lay between them. Will answered he didn’t care. He asked Will if he would like to hear a story, again the answer was he didn’t care. Guethle said he believed Will didn’t know how to handle him having cancer. Broken hearted Guethle said he left the room and began to cry.

Guethle encouraged anyone who has to go through cancer to never hesitate to accept help. Guethle stated it is good for you and them. Guethle lifted the crowd throwing bits humor into his story. He talked about the feminine hormone treatment he is receiving and side effects from hot flashes to his newfound love of shopping. Guethle finished by challenging everyone to tell their family and friends how much they mean and how important they are in your life.

A highlight video was shown with photos from last year’s event. The video included a tribute to Ryder Boles, a Dexter High School student and cancer survivor.

The evening ended with a emotional toast to Ben Kruse presented via video by Charla Chilcutt-Lundgren. On Saturday morning over 80 teams convened at Hidden Trails Country Club for the annual 18 Fore Life Tournament. The Nate Stevens family won the tournament with a score of minus-17 under par.