Patient Voices: Benedict Schiefelbein

Overview

The fifth of seven children, three-year-old Benedict “Benny” Schiefelbein is no stranger to bumps and bruises – especially when playing with his siblings. A small incident involving a golf club in February of 2024 led to Benny’s eventual diagnosis – a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer that required immediate surgery and various pathology tests to confirm what the Schiefelbein family feared to be true.

The Diagnosis

“This tumor was unlike anything they had ever studied,” said Jeff, Benny’s father. “It didn’t match anything in their databases and the sample went through a series of molecular studies, and from there we were able to find out some more characteristics about the tumor. We learned from radiology that he had been hemorrhaging for a couple of months but had miraculously remained asymptomatic. We are so glad that we caught this as early as we did.” In April, it was confirmed that the best course of action for Benny would be proton radiation therapy   – something that Jeff and his wife Amanda had never heard of before. “As we learned more and more about the tumor, it became clear that proton therapy was the way to go.”

Amidst the stress and shock of a cancer diagnosis, Jeff and Amanda were relieved to learn that Benny’s treatment plan would allow them to stay close to home. “We are extremely grateful for Texas Center for Proton Therapy. From start to finish, it was a true delight being there with the nurses and radiation therapy staff – the care that we received and the compassion that was extended to my wife was unparalleled. There are so many moving parts in this journey that you don’t know about until it happens to your family, and in the chaos of unexpected ER trips, chemotherapy catheter line issues,  and countless appointments, Texas Center for Proton Therapy was a bright spot that Benny looked forward to each week.”

The Journey

Treatment for brain cancer is determined by many factors, including tumor type, size, and location in the brain, whether it’s newly diagnosed or a recurrence, the tumor’s specific genetic makeup, and the patient’s overall health.  Since young bodies are still developing, there are several benefits of proton therapy for children with cancer. Proton therapy is a non-invasive method of treatment that delivers a highly targeted dose of radiation directly to the tumor while sparing damage to healthy, growing tissue and vital organs, allowing young patients to maintain their quality of life both during treatment and later as they age. Every child has different needs, and many factors are considered to determine the most appropriate treatment option, including the cancer type, stage of cancer, previous cancer treatments, and medical history. 

“Benny is such an affectionate and active kid – it’s been a blessing to see him running around with his siblings, riding his bike, and playing outside again, just like a three year old  should. I’m so thankful to Texas Center for Proton Therapy for the phenomenal care, and that our family made it through this.”
 

The information included in this testimonial is based on one patient’s unique experience and is not intended to represent all patient outcomes or expectations.