Ben’s Conventional & Alternative Healing Timeline

Conventional Treatments

•03/08/22 When we first noticed symptoms. Ben started to vomit. Nausea and vomiting was off and on for about 2 weeks or so. He was tired more often and falling asleep in the middle of the day. Ben began complaining of headaches/migraines that hurt with light and sound. A couple times mentioned that his vision went black for a second when standing up from sitting or laying down.

•03/26/22 Ben had been vomiting for about 4 days and I had a gut feeling that something was wrong so I took him to the ER. A CT and MRI confirmed that there was a “mass” near his ventricle that was causing hydrocephalus.

•03/28/22 After being transferred to a larger hospital, Ben had surgery to relieve the pressure and to collect a sample for a biopsy.

•04/12 or 13/22 received biopsy results- Grade 4 Diffused Midline Glioma in the hypothalamus with H3K27M mutation.

•04/15/22 met with oncologist at Beacon’s Children’s Hospital in South Bend, Indiana where we were told the severity of the situation and were told that Ben may not make it to Christmas that year. Told our only options were to buy some time with radiation. No chemo options were available to us and they briefly mentioned clinical trials.

•04/16-18/22 All Easter weekend, I spent hours researching and connecting with options and received a phone call from Dr Fouladi who was in charge of a clinical trial at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. We had HOPE!

•04/21-22/22 we met with radiology & oncology & the neurosurgeon who decided that surgery was an option. This allowed Ben to participate in a clinical trial.

•04/28/22 Ben started his clinical trial- PTC596 (Unesbulin) an oral medication taken 2 days a week.

•05/02/22 Ben went in for a 8.5hr surgery where the amazing Dr Leonard was able to remove 65-75% of Ben’s tumor with NO complications!

•05/13/22 MRI showed significant decrease in size, tumor was originally about the size of a golf ball and was now being measured in millimeters.

•05/16/22 Ben started radiation treatment at The James at Ohio State with Dr Palmer- 33 sessions.

•07/01/22 Ben finished radiation treatment.

Ben continued on the PTC596 clinical trial where he continued to take the medication 2 days a week. With every MRI, we continued to see the tumor shrink or remain stable.

•01/25/24 we are informed that Ben’s trial FAILED in adults with another type of cancer and was being shut down.

•02/12/24 Ben takes his last dose of PTC596

•02/15/24 Ben’s tumor sample was reevaluated and they confirmed the BRAFv600 mutation. Not common to have both mutations (about 9-10%)

•03/14/24 Ben started Trametinib (Makensit)  & Dabrafenib (Tafinlar)

•10/24/24 MRI & Neurosurgeon says “complete resection” “there’s nothing there”

•01/23/25 MRI & oncologist says “she agrees that there is no tumor left”

•04/10/25 radiologist Dr Palmer, goes over the past year of Ben’s MRI imaging and agrees with the neurosurgeon & oncologist that there is no active tumor remaining and just scar tissue remains.

•03/19/26 Ben takes his last dose of  Trametinib (Makensit)  & Dabrafenib (Tafinlar)

•05/21/26 First scan after no medication, continues to be stable.

•08/05/26 Ben has another MRI where there is no signs of active tumor, no growth and continued stability. Ben will have another scan in 3 months.

Alternative/Holistic/Integrative Treatments

•03/28/22 Immediately after discovering the “mass” we started changing our foods to organic, free range, no food dyes, no seed oils, no high fructose corn syrups etc.. options.

•04/01/22 started making “cancer kicking” smoothies. Berries, half a banana, with barley grass juice, wheatgrass and beet powder.

•04/02/22 purchased a juicer and began juicing. Our go to recipe includes carrots, beets, kale, green apple, lemon and ginger.

•04/19/22 received our KickCancer kit. Started using essential oils diffused and topically (frankincense, myrrh, copaiba, clary sage, lavender, diluted in castor oil. Applied to back of neck, feet and top of head) castor oil packs and detox baths.

•04/25/22 started including some supplements such as Turmeric w/black pepper, probiotics, vitamin C, CoQ10, zinc, beef liver, black seed oil, garlic, paraguard, quercetin, vitamin D3 & K2, sea moss, mushroom blend, magnesium

•05/02/22 brought our own food to the hospital after surgery recovery.

•05/16/22 incorporated daily detox after radiation and medication. Detox bath or castor oil packs on liver.

•06/10/22 started Vitamin D lamp therapy.

•06/22/22 purchased infrared sauna for home.

•07/27/22 PEMF machine arrives and we start using it that day and have continued to use it 5 days a week.

•08/01/22 started removing all toxic things from the home. No more teflon pans, no plastic bottles or food containers, only glass, cast iron or stainless steel. No aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Got rid of any home or self care products that contained artificial fragrances, sulfates, parabens, SLS, heavy metals, etc… Replaced all bedding with linen or cotton- no polyester in blankets or pillows.

•08/05/22 purchased a grounding mat, Ben sleeps on this nightly.

•08/20/22 started using a rebounder

•08/25/22 started incorporating different beverages. Ben would pick one to drink almost daily- green tea, dandyblend (a dandelion root based drink), golden milk (a turmeric & coconut milk drink), “milk drink” which is a magnesium supplement & mushroom blend mixed with raw cow milk, soursop tea

•10/23/22 starter nebulizing food grade hydrogen peroxide with colloidal silver and saline

•11/15/22 Started red light therapy (smaller lamp)

•12/15/22 got rid of all extra devices in the home. No more Alexa, no security cameras, etc.. started putting the internet on a timer every night it shuts off automatically. Phone go on airplane mode every night. No electronics in bedrooms.

•01/29/23 Ben was baptized!

•05/27/23 Got rid of all polyester clothing. Switched to only cotton, linen or wool.

•10/13/23 purchased countertop Hydrogen water generator

•12/27/23 epigenetics testing was completed with 3x4 genetics and we worked with an integrative dietitian to tailor Ben’s diet and supplements. Incorporated Sulforaphane, methylated B vitamins and removed some supplements like Paraguard (only using this in rounds about twice a year) We found out that Ben carries a couple MTHFR snps and he also does not make or use Vitamin D very well. He also has trouble detoxing on his own.

•01/12/24 started using a vibrating plate

•03/02/24 stopped taking certain supplements that would interfere with new medication Trametinib (Makensit)  & Dabrafenib (Tafinlar).

•04/03/24 upgraded our red light panel to a larger panel on a stand.

•Update 08/10/26 Ben continues to use the red light panel daily, vibrating plate 3+ times a week, detoxes either with infrared sauna, detox bath or castor oil daily. We still run his Resonant Light PERL+ machine 5 nights a week. He continues to eat clean/healthy and takes supplements twice a day. He continues to be healthy, active in sports and is about to start his first year of high school!

We continue to implement these things on a daily basis. Some things we don’t do everyday anymore but we continue to do daily detoxing of either castor oil packs on the liver & back on neck, infrared sauna, or detox bath. 5 nights a week we run the PEMF machine. We try to juice or drink cancer kicking smoothies daily, daily supplements, daily red light therapy and body movement. It truly has been a lifestyle change for the entire family. We also have strong faith in God- prayer, positive thinking and speaking life has been huge for us all.

I know it’s a lot of information so if you or your friend have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

-Andrea Florer