By Mark Eckel, Player Engagement Insider
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Beau Allen was 12 years old, a middle school student in Minnetonka, Minnesota doing what most 12-year-olds do, when his life changed.
A family meeting that included his parents, Susie and Matt, his 13-year-old brother, Jack, and six-year-old sister, Grace, revealed Susie had Stage 3 breast cancer.
Thirteen years later Susie Allen is doing fine and in remission from the awful disease that robs families of loved ones every day. On Sunday, October 23rd, Susie and the family flew into Philadelphia to watch Allen and the Eagles take on, and beat, their hometown Vikings on one of the days the NFL showed its support for Breast Cancer Awareness month.
Allen is always aware so wearing the pink ribbon, or pink shoes means a little more.
“Every year I get my hair braided and put a pink bow in it to pay homage for my mom and every other woman who has had breast cancer,’’ Allen said. “You hear people talk about the different foundations, that’s all great, for me that’s not what’s it about. It’s for raising awareness. Ultimately, that’s what saves people’s lives.
“My mom says all the time, ‘Beau it’s probably embarrassing for you to talk about you mom’s breasts.’ But if it helps saves one person, or influences one person to get tested it’s worth it.’’
Allen is involved with several different Breast Cancer Awareness groups. He’s spoken and done events for Family Lives On; Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Bring Hope Home and several others.
There are also so many personal sides.
“People ask me about my hair,’’ Allen said of his flowing locks. “I started growing my hair this way, I’m going to donate it one day, but it’s just to remember all we went through.’’
Allen and his family all shaved their hair when Susie was diagnosed back in 2003. It was a time of confusion and fright for the entire family.
“Looking back, when you’re that young you really don’t have a grasp of it,’’ Allen said. “I just remember my parents sat us down for a serious conversation. They were trying, and it’s just so tough trying to explain something that serious to kids so young. My sister was only six.
“My brother, he was always a little more mature. He got it a little more than we did. They were getting emotional as they explained it to us. It must have been really hard for them to tell us what to expect and what it meant.
“I was so confused by the whole thing.’’
Allen watched his mother, a practicing nurse who self-diagnosed herself, grow sicker and sicker, go through a double mastectomy and chemotherapy.
“She started to look sick, lost a lot of weight, lost her hair,’’ Allen said. “I remember her getting us all together to take a family photo before she lost her hair. She wanted that one last family photo.
“But what I remember most is her hiding from us how sick she really was. When you’re at that age, your parents are invincible. Your dad can beat you in any sport and your mom can cook any dinner or do most anything. So, it was hard to see her like that.
“Then all of a sudden she started coming around and feeling better, and that was the best part.’’
Susie Allen is obviously proud of her son who played four years at the University of Wisconsin before being drafted by the Eagles in 2014. He started and played one of the better games of his three-year career in that win over the Vikings. She’s just as proud as the message he sends to other family members of breast cancer patients.
“If you can just help out a kid, or a mom, or a family, that’s what I want to do,’’ Allen said. “I want to spread awareness through whatever means we have.’’
Being in the NFL gives him a good platform to do just that.
“My mom texts me now and tells me what to say,’’ Allen said with a laugh. “She never even had a lump. Her skin was just a little thick. It wasn’t that obvious. Luckily, she found it herself.
“Being in the NFL we have such a platform that others don’t. You see it this year with social issues. This is my thing. You see kids and families going through it all the time. It means so much to help, especially for the kids.’’