Billy’s Blog: Eva’s Cause: May 12, 2006

Hollywood has so many different types of players…a lot of healthy egos, a lot of talent, some brilliant creative minds…some definite “hangers-on”, opportunists and self-absorbed takers as well.

When I’m at my happiest is when I get to shine some light in the shadows of this town, where real good is taking place.  Our Hollywood Heroes pieces are exactly that. Whether it’s chronicling the work Ben Affleck does on behalf of his young friend Joe Kindregan whose fighting Ataxia-Talengectasia, a rare neurological disease that so far has no cure.  Or Julianne Moore’s willingness to help a random guy she met on the street (Tom Lindsey), whose son is fighting Tuberous Sclerosis, by raising money and lobbying congress.  There are many bright lights in Hollywood and just about a week ago, it happened again.

Eva Longoria contacted me and invited me to join her Saturday morning at Children’s Hospital in L.A. She has worked with a group called Padres Contra de Cancer for the past 6 years and has been the national spokesperson since last spring.

So, while her celebrity was widely unknown, she was involved quietly, but since “Desperate Housewives” hit big, she has realized that she has a real opportunity to attract a lot of people to this cause.

I arrived early to walk through the hospital floor, meet the organizers and get acquainted with some of the families whose children were in the fight of their lives. I was a bit nervous and anxious, because above all else, I will never understand why some children have this disease.  It hurts to the core just trying to fathom this injustice.

When Eva walked into Padres, the busy children, coloring and playing with toys, perked up and squealed with glee.  The parents were excited.  It was obvious to me she was someone they KNEW; she was truly known to these people outside the TV set.

A little girl named Anna screamed, “Eva!” And came running towards her and jumped into her arms. I was standing right next to them and tears the size of lakes filled my eyes.  It was a happy moment.

The halls and rooms of Padres are bright and full of colors; the mascot, who looks kind of like Lilo from Disney’s ‘Lilo and Stitch’, was playing with the children. There was joy. It was special and left me with this resolve: I will do what I can to help whenever Eva, or anyone from Padres, needs my help.

I met and colored pictures with a little boy named Kelvin. His head was virtually hairless from the chemo treatments, but his resolve and will were bedrock. He told me he wanted Kingdom Hearts 2, the video game, and that he was going to earn the money for it by selling lemonade at his stand.  “How much for a glass?” I asked.  “A hundred dollars” was his answer.

His mother emailed me the other day and told me that, for me, he had decided to slash the price to a mere ten dollars.  That’s 90% off…what a deal.

Eva was there finishing a PSA with the children that will air in June, nationally, during the ALMA Awards. As host and Producer of this show, Eva had negotiated this :30 second PSA as her compensation for the event…nothing else.

I like Eva. She is fun and cute, willing to play on camera…but I got to see a new side.  Now that she’s famous and in demand, it’s not less of a commitment, its full speed ahead.

These moments help me when some of the trivial elements of this town get heavy.

I thank Eva, Kelvin, little Anna, all the Padres’ families and the doctors, nurses and administrators working hard at Children’s Hospital in LA for these precious children.  They have a better chance because of it.

And I understand a bit more.  To me, God is at work, waking us all up to reality and letting hope lead the way.  Padres is nothing but real, palpable HOPE.