Berryhill Boy With Down Syndrome, Cancer Gets Proton Therapy

Despite repeated diagnoses – cancer, Down syndrome, and cancer again - an Oklahoma family is keeping hope. Some of that hope comes from targeted radiation therapy just down the turnpike.

People travel from all over the world to get the kind of treatment that's right here in Oklahoma. It's benefiting a Berryhill boy who's overcoming the odds in more ways than one.

It was October when 13-year-old Cade felt pain in his hip during gym. He saw his pediatrician who diagnosed it as cancer, according to Cade’s dad, Chris Wegener.

"They actually called us that night and said, 'We're admitting you right now,'" he said.

It was a rare form of sarcoma.

"Dropped a pretty big bomb on us and our family, and left us with not a whole lot of hope at that point," he said.

It was the Wegener family's second cancer diagnosis - Cade's mom also battled cancer.

Cade had a tumor up against his spine, and when it came time for radiation, he needed the most targeted of treatments.

Wegener said, "In fact, there was a nerve root that they were afraid if they damaged that that he would walk with a limp the rest of his life."

Most radiation shoots like a shotgun, flooding the entire area; but ProCure in Oklahoma City, is more specific.

"It's like using a laser-focused sniper rifle, and they can hit the exact spot," Wegener said.

Wednesday, Cade finished his treatments at ProCure, and got to ring the bell and gave a speech.

"Everyone says, 'How do you do it?' We're leaning on the rock," Wegener said. "I felt God say, 'Chris, I'm going to heal your son,' and that peace came over me and we've had a peace about it ever since."