Edmonton-area man launches campaign to help dying mother meet Oprah

Local man wants dying mom to meet Oprah An Edmonton-area man has launched a social media campaign to help his dying mother meet Oprah Winfrey.

A young man from Spruce Grove is on a mission to help his dying mother meet a television star.

Robert Coulas, 24, of Spruce Grove, has started a social media campaign to help his mother Beth Coulas, meet television star and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey.

Beth, 51, was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour last year and was told by doctors that she only had a few months left to live.

“I felt like okay, I’m going to live every day as it comes,” Beth said.

And she did.

Beth has now outlived that original seven-to-nine month prognosis, even getting a chance recently to hold her granddaughter, someone many thought she’d never meet.

“I’m on this side of the grass today. I’m staying on it. I’ve actually defied the odds now. I’m beyond where they thought I would be,” she said.

“I think they thought I would be gone by this point. I’m obviously not. I’m just going to keep going. When it’s your turn, it’s your turn. We’re all headed in that direction its just today, isn’t my day.”

Beth was an artist for 22 years before her diagnosis.

Now she only works on pieces for close family and friends, on canvasses that they bring to her.

She says painting keeps her mind sharp and also believes it’s what’s keeping her alive.

“I’m surprised by how many people have brought me canvasses and it’s keeping me going,” Beth said.

After her diagnosis, Beth chose not to dwell on her future.

“When this all took place for me, I really had no big, huge bucket list. I’ve always lived fairly close to doing what I know I was supposed to be doing,” Beth said.

So Robert decided to create a bucket list for her.

Knowing it was his mother’s dream to meet former talk show host Oprah Winfrey, Robert created a Facebook Page devoted to that cause.

“Since I can remember, Oprah has always been in this house on our TV,” Coulas said.

Robert and his siblings have already purchased tickets for their mother to attend Winfrey’s show on Jan. 21, but hope their online efforts can get the star to meet with Beth too.

“I was like this is my opportunity to give back to my mom,” Coulas said.

Beth admits Winfrey is someone she looks up to and watched for years as she raised her kids.

“We’ll have supper after Oprah, you’ll get in trouble with me after Oprah, but we’re watching this right now,” Beth recalled with a laugh.

“She’s in Edmonton and if there’s a chance I can meet her, that would be absolutely awesome.”

In the meantime, Beth will continue painting on canvasses dropped off by her loved ones and hopes soon she’ll be able to meet one of her idols.

“She brought a message to your house that you might not get anywhere else,” Beth said.

“If they're doing a little meet and greet and they've got room for a little silk painter, I'm more than happy to be there.”

With files from Carmen Leibel