texas oncology more breakthroughs. more victories
Some of our cancer centers may have important notifications found on the location page. View More Important Notifications x

Oncologist Who Elevated Care in SE Texas Will be Honored at Gala

Publication: Beaumont Enterprise

When Robert Birdwell was making the decision on what his medical specialty would be more than 40 years ago, clinical oncology had only recently been recognized as a medical specialty.

Seven pioneering cancer physicians had decided to found The American Society of Oncologists in 1964 and medical research universities in large metropolitan areas were becoming hubs for advanced cancer treatment, but something was pulling Birdwell away from the established areas his colleagues were flocking to.

In 1979, Birdwell decided to head back to his hometown of Beaumont and establish a base for people in the area to receive what at the time was considered groundbreaking cancer treatment.

“It was important to me, but it was certainly much harder,” Birdwell said. “In terms of lack of coverage, it meant being on call most of the time and starting a program from scratch. The community and the hospice were very supportive, though.”

Now, 40 years later, Birdwell is being recognized for his role as Southeast Texas’s first trained oncologist. He will be honored at the Christus Southeast Texas Foundation’s 39th Annual Gala on Saturday.

Christus teamed up with Birdwell’s practice, now known as Texas Oncology-Beaumont, in 1985 to create a state-of-the-art radiation facility to help advance the treatments available to local patients.

By that time, Birdwell had found two partners for his practice and had created partnerships with area hospitals, but he said the going wasn’t exactly easy.

“In the beginning, there was basically no oncology here,” Birdwell said. “At that time, there weren’t a lot of oncology practices anywhere. There was oncology at M.D. Anderson (Cancer Center), Baylor (University), (University of Texas Medical Branch) — all out of town — but very little was being done here.”

Birdwell said he knew starting a cancer program wouldn’t be easy, but providing hope where there previously wasn’t any had been an idea that followed him since college.

While at the University of Texas, Birdwell said he — like most of the student body at the time — was struck by the story of Freddie Steinmark, a safety with the Longhorns who helped bring home a win against the 1969 Arkansas Razorbacks, only to receive a cancer diagnosis days later.

X-rays revealed Steinmark had a large tumor above his left knee, later determined to be osteogenic sarcoma, and he received an amputation at the hip six days after winning what has been dubbed “The Game of the Century.” He was still on the sidelines 20 days later as Texas defeated Notre Dame in the 1970 Cotton Bowl Classic on New Year’s Day.

His story helped inspire the National Cancer Act of 1971 and what President Richard Nixon called the “War on Cancer,” but the treatment available at the time wasn’t able to keep Steinbeck from succumbing when his cancer returned. He died on Sunday, June 6, 1971, in Houston and was laid to rest a few days later in his hometown of Denver.

In 1976, a young Birdwell attended a lecture by then Harvard Professor Emil “Tom” Frei, a recognized pioneer of cancer research, on the subject of using chemotherapy to vastly improve survivorship after surgery.

“It seemed to me if (Steinbeck) might have had a therapy at the time that was curative, there might have been more hope,” Birdwell said. “On a personal note, that affected me.”

In Southeast Texas, Birdwell went about delivering that hope to patients when he could and watched as technology slowly increased chances of survivorship.

In 1995, Birdwell’s practice became a part of Texas Oncology, a network of practices and 350 physicians that he said added a layer of training and resources. Texas Oncology-Beaumont now has seven medical oncologist and seven radiation oncologists.

Through the past 40 years, Birdwell said he’s appreciated the time with his patients, cherished their victories and felt the losses with their families.

“I couldn’t imagine doing anything else, but it has been extremely difficult at times,” Birdwell said. “Taking care of cancer patients can take an emotional toll, but I’ve been paid back more than any effort I have made.”

Read the full story at Beaumont Enterprise.

Related Cancer Centers