Tessa Beauchamp Night set for July 31

Members of the Beauchamp family were on hand at last year's Tessa Beauchamp Night where $4,625 was raised by auctioning off game-worn Langley Thunder jerseys. Ryan Molag file photo

The Langley Thunder will wear a special jersey in honour of a young woman who left a significant mark during her brief time.

As part of the Senior A lacrosse team’s Western Lacrosse Association regular season finale on July 31 at Langley Events Centre, the Thunder will auction off their game-worn jerseys with the benefits proceeding the Tessa Beauchamp Foundation.

The Foundation works to infuse Tessa’s values into the community by providing exemplary students with scholarships to further their education and by providing funds to other charities to help impoverished and needy people.

The Langley Thunder became involved through team president Ken Buchan, who was a teacher at Holy Cross Regional High School where Beauchamp attended.

“She was an inspiration to so many people,” Buchan said, adding that despite the pain and struggle she endured, Tessa continued to fight until the end.

This year’s jersey – which was designed by Langley Events Centre graphic designer Ryan Molag and produced by X-Treme Threads – is white with splashes of purple and black.

Purple was always Tessa’s favourite colour and has always played a prominent role in the jerseys, which the Thunder have worn for their annual Tessa Beauchamp Night since they began the initiative in 2012.

Last year saw $4,625 raised through the jersey auction.

Bidding Details

Game: Wednesday, July 31, 7:30pm vs. the Burnaby Lakers at Langley Events Centre.

Online Bidding: Open now until 3:00pm (PST) on July 31.

Live Bidding: Ends at the conclusion of the second intermission.

How to Bid: Email media@tfse.ca and please include which jersey you are bidding on and how much the bid is for. Bidding starts at $50 and goes up by increments of $25, Please include your name and contact number as well as which jersey you are bidding on. All bids will be updated on the website daily.

Proceeds benefit the Tessa Beauchamp Foundation.

About Tessa

Tessa faced significant adversity in her short life, suffering third degree burns to nearly 20 percent of her body when she was three years old after her dress caught fire while sitting in front of a glass fireplace. She overcame that and became an excellent student and outstanding athlete, especially on the basketball court.

A few years later, doctors found a growth in her inner year, resulting in a pair of surgeries and three rounds of radiation. Despite her ongoing treatment and the side effects – she had no hearing in her right ear and had to wear an eye patch to combat the double vision she was experiencing – Tessa would join here teams either on the court playing or on the sidelines cheering them on when she was not strong enough to play.

The cancer would return but not even that could stop her from suiting up for her Holy Cross team at the provincial high school basketball championships.

“The cancer by this time was making it difficult for her to breathe and left her extremely fatigued,” described her high school coach Ryan Tyrell on the Foundation’s website.

Up against a huge rival with a spot in the provincial semi-finals on the line, Tessa delivered a masterful performance.

“From the start, it was evident Tessa was putting in a performance to be remembered. She played close to 40 minutes, scoring 30 points and was a stalwart on defence and on the boards, single-handedly urging her team to victory and a place in the semi-finals,” Tyrell said. “As in life and athletics, Tessa refused to give up. She simply could not accept ‘no’ for an answer.”

Tessa was named to the All-Tournament team and 11 months later, she passed away after her nearly four-year cancer battle.

Despite her years of struggle, she left behind a legacy of incredible strength and levity.

“Tessa’s presence was a true gift as she indiscriminately shared love and friendship with everyone she met,” reads the Foundation’s website. “Losing Tessa was painful and tragic beyond belief and her friends and family miss her every day.

“Those who are touched by her memory choose to focus on extending the abundance of love and strength she shared during her short life. The Foundation’s mission is to uphold Tessa’s spirit of tenacity and love in the face of adversity.”

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