Name: Ben
Diagnosis: atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor
Home state: West Virginia
Ben was like any other baby in America, his father, Tom, said. His regular checkup was perfect, “even ahead of schedule” he said. But one day in March, Ben fell asleep. He wouldn’t wake up. When he did, he threw up, and they rushed “Big Ben” to an emergency room.
Forty-eight hours later Ben and his parents were in a helicopter, headed to another hospital where emergency brain surgery would be performed. “It didn't take long for the physicians to come back and tell us they had discovered a very rare and aggressive brain tumor,” his father said, “and that our prognosis was really, really poor.” The doctors referred Ben to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. “"This is the last line,” Tom said. “If this doesn’t do it, nothing will.”
Tom said that walking through the doors at St. Jude was “devastating.” But within the hour that feeling had changed to one of hope as families began talking with them. “You saw nothing but courage,” Tom said.
So far, the tumor has been difficult to treat. Despite chemotherapy and additional surgeries, the tumor has continued to grow. Now Ben is undergoing radiation to try and stop the tumor’s growth.
“I have learned so much from him,” Tom said about watching his son battle cancer. “I am a fireman. I was very involved in the World Trade Center recovery and a lot of people termed a lot of us heroes. I look at that and realize we chose to walk into that and to do the work that we do. These kids aren’t in that situation. They didn’t choose this. It’s given to them without any option. And they just step up and do what they have to do and always with a smile and with a will and determination. And I think that’s a hero.
