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Coming full circle….
from pediatric cancer patient to top OttoTHON fundraiser Syracuse University InclusiveU student Andrew Benbenek is a top fundraiser for OttoTHON, Syracuse University’s annual dance marathon that raises money for the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. What motivates Benbenek is passion, and the medical care that began when he was 8 years old. Headaches and other nondescript symptoms were the reasons Benbenek’s mother, Mimi, scheduled an appointment with his pediatrician, who ordered a computed tomography scan. What followed floored his mother, a registered nurse. “I was told to have Andrew at Upstate University Hospital by 3 p.m. for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and appointment with a pediatric oncologist. My pediatrician thought he had a brain tumor,” recalled Benbenek’s mother. “I was shocked. As a nurse, I thought that there were many possible diagnoses.” What his mother hoped to be a misdiagnosis ended up being six weeks in the hospital for Benbenek, most of which was spent in the intensive care unit following surgery to remove a medulloblastoma, a brain tumor in the cerebellum. “The doctors, nurses and child life staff were amazing,” said his mother. “They provided the best possible care and even decorated his room. They did everything possible to make Andrew feel like a normal kid.” After Benbenek was discharged from the hospital, he started six weeks of radiation. Then came 18 months of chemotherapy, and many, many medical appointments and lab visits. About every two months he was hospitalized at Upstate. Benbenek developed cognitive, fine motor and balance issues related to his treatments. “There was concern with his vision. But, thankfully his eyesight was OK and his brain compensated for the losses,” said his mother. School was difficult, but Benbenek never got discouraged. Administrators and teachers helped him scholastically and inclusively. “Andrew is hardworking and I think some divine intervention has helped him accept circumstances,” said his mother. “He received the optimist award in sixth grade and wanted a Regents diploma from high school. It was very difficult, 22
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but he worked hard for it and got his Regents when he graduated.” After receiving an associate degree from Onondaga Community College, Benbenek was unsure of his next steps. After some searching, he enrolled in InclusiveU at Syracuse University, and it has been life-changing. Mentors have helped Benenek, now 28, get involved in organizations on campus, and he is especially fond of and connected to OttoTHON. When Benbenek went to a meeting about OttoTHON, he was asked to share something about himself. “I was a patient at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, and they cured me,” he said simply. The next day, the mentor asked him about his story. “Having gone through cancer, I can appreciate what the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital has done for me. Even now, I can go to them with any questions and they are there for me,” Benbenek said. “I appreciate how my oncology doctors, like Dr. Irene Cherrick and Dr. Jody Sima, work together for the good of their patients.” Benbenek was asked to speak at OttoTHON about his experience. “I like OttoTHON for many reasons. I can show kids who are going through a hard time that they don’t need to be afraid; things will get better. I also want to raise money so the kids at the hospital have what they need. I like to help.” Toni Gary, assistant vice president at the Upstate Foundation, is the liaison with the SU students involved in OttoTHON. “Because I met Andrew when he was a child first being treated at Upstate, it was especially heartwarming to see his commitment to OttoTHON, and to see him coming full circle to help kids where he was once treated.”
Are you grateful? A gift of gratitude is a meaningful way to express appreciation to special caregivers and help patients during their time of great need. To donate to the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital or the Golisano Center for Special Needs, contact the Upstate Foundation at 315-464-4416 or go to www.upstatefoundation.org/donate
Andrew today and at age 8