How You Can Help
Giving - The Paul Beck Challenge
October 2006
It seemed too good to be true: a letter to “Administrator, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center” from a Mr. Paul Beck requesting a proposal for a $2 million naming opportunity at M. D. Anderson to honor his late father, Andreas Beck. The letter did not reveal any of his interests, and no mention of him was found in media searches. Paul Beck was truly the mystery man.
With only a post office box for a return address and a note saying he did not wish to be called, the Development Office staff took it on faith that Paul Beck’s letter was serious and began to develop a proposal. They chose a naming opportunity in the inpatient palliative care unit in the Alkek Hospital, hoping it might be of interest to Mr. Beck.
Palliative care focuses on improving the quality of life for patients and their families by reducing the physical and emotional burdens of illness. It involves symptom management, supportive counseling, and advance care planning. At M. D. Anderson, palliative care is often extended not only to patients, but also to children whose parents or care-giving grandparents are cancer patients.
A few days after receiving Beck’s letter, the proposal to name the Andreas Beck Inpatient Palliative Care Unit was sent to his post office box. About a week later, he called to say he liked the proposal, and invited someone to come by to work out the details.
On October 23,2006, Paul Beck met members of the palliative care team, led by Eduardo Bruera, M.D., at the Andreas Beck Inpatient Palliative Care Unit to tour the space and celebrate his 85th birthday. The vibrant former sea marine stands ramrod straight and loves to tell jokes and share stories of his Depression-era upbringing. He spends his days at the public library reading journals and using the computers to keep up, and he goes out several nights a week with friends.
Beck is glad that he can help cancer patients in a significant way, but he is modest and unassuming about recognition. On being thanked for his generosity, he responded: “Like the GI who landed on U.S. soil after World War II said, ’I seen my duty and I done it.’” Then he went back to his apartment to put on something comfortable and go to the library.