Dear Bank of Prairie Village Community~
“Coaches, Doctors, Doubting Bankers, Triumphs & God Moments”
Some 20 years ago, about this time of year, I was asked by then KU Athletic Director, Drue Jennings, to attend a cocktail event. The event’s purpose was to introduce KU’s new Basketball Coach. The charismatic and energetic coach announced he would take KU Basketball to even greater glory and championships than Roy Williams.
I was impressed with the coach – but I had my doubts.
Some 15 years ago I was sitting at a Rockhurst lacrosse game next to a very tall (6-foot 5-inches) athletic-looking father of one of the Rock lax players. After getting him to point out his son, I asked the dad 1) if he was from Kansas City, and 2) if he played high school sports. He looked familiar, but I could not place him. The Dad said he grew up in Gardner and played basketball and went on to play community college basketball before focusing on grades.
I asked what he was doing now for a living. He explained he was a now a cancer doctor and had come to the KU Medical Center from Vanderbilt to lead it into achieving a National Institute of Health (NIH) recognized National Cancer Center Designation.
I was familiar with how hard it was for a Medical Center to earn such a designation – and I had my doubts.
About 4 years ago, I was invited by KU’s new Athletic Director, Travis Goff (who I thought looked like a recent graduate), to meet KU’s most recent head football coach hire.
The new KU football coach was following a long string of unsuccessful KU Football coaches – hired by a long string of unsuccessful KU Athletic Directors – and I was not sure I wanted to meet another.
Nevertheless, I attended. Like the basketball coach 20 years earlier, I thought the new KU football coach was charismatic and energetic. Yet when he started talking about soon winning college bowl games – I had my doubts.
About two years ago, I decided to randomly call a client I had not talked to in years. I am not sure why I decided to call. The client had moved from the Prairie Village community and had not done much with the Bank since the move. I am still not sure what made me want to randomly call and check in that day.
I was surprised the client took my call on the first ring. I could tell the client was clearly upset. The client explained that hours earlier on that very day, his wife received a call from KU Med saying she had serious leukemia. He and his wife were immediately preparing to go to the hospital to start months of her cancer treatments.
He said, “she was tough and with God’s help she is gonna beat it.” I was familiar with her type of leukemia – I had my doubts she would be able to beat it.
At the beginning of April, I was asked to host a reception for the KU Cancer Doctor, who had successfully led KU Med into receiving the NIH National Cancer Center Designation. I thought it ironic as I had my doubts so long ago he could ever achieve his stated goal. Naturally, I said I would be happy to host.
In organizing the reception, the doctor asked if he could have one of his patients speak who had “beat the odds” and won her battle against cancer. I swiftly agreed a testimonial was in order but did not ask for more details.
The day of the reception, I went to the podium to introduce the doctor. As I made the introduction, I looked down at the name of his cured patient giving the testimonial. My eyes started blinking and filled with tears, as I realized the patient giving the testimonial was my client’s wife – the very one who I had doubted would still be living two years later. As I looked out into the audience, I could see her smiling face.
For a moment, standing at the lectern, my brain started spinning.
Why of all days back two years ago had I randomly called her husband? Why had I doubted this now famous cancer doctor when he said KU Med would achieve the NIH Cancer Designation some fifteen years ago at Rockhurst stadium?
Hell, for that matter, why had I doubted Coach Self would ever win a National Championship, or that Coach Leipold would take KU Football to a Bowl Game?
With a shaky voice I introduced both the famous cancer doctor and his cured patient. Having done so, I swiftly sat down – before I became too emotional.
With great empathy, Dr. Roy Jensen, the Head of KU Med School Cancer Research, and the Doctor who led KU Med’s NIH Cancer Designation, took a long look at me at the table.
With humor, Dr. Jensen, announced, “Dan, I think it is easier for KU Med to defeat cancer, than it is convincing you to overcome all your doubts.”
I smiled as the room burst into laughter.
Following the reception, I went outside, sat down and stared at the blooming Tulips. I had the comforting feeling that God was smiling with great satisfaction at his small step in helping his “Doubting Dan” to see the light.
As we go into the full glory of the Spring Season this May, in a nation and world full of strife and confusion, let’s remember to never doubt that things will sort themselves out – and that determined people – with a good purpose – can achieve even their most doubted goals.
Yours in enjoying the many wonders of this Spring Season.
