Her birthday celebration was a light for others

There were no birthday candles, but smiles brightened the room as Jane Schneider’s care team gathered to celebrate her special day.

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Writer, tfender1@iuhealth.org

Her doctor says Jane Schneider’s smile lights up a room. She radiates positivity. IU Health’s Dr. Na Tosha Gatson joined other members of the neuro-oncology team last week to observe Schneider’s 59th birthday.

It was a cause for celebration - not only for a birthday but also for Schneider’s well-being.

On Feb. 19, 2023, Schneider, of Spencer, Ind. was eating breakfast with family members when they told her that she was “whispering,” and they weren’t sure why. She stepped outside into the sunshine and nearly fell to her knees. “It made me cry it was so bright,” she said. The next day, her husband, David, took her to ER at IU Health Bloomington and quickly learned she has Glioblastoma. She underwent one surgery in February 2023 and a second surgery on March 28, 2024. At IU Health she was in the surgical care of Dr. Angela Richardson. She is also undergoing chemotherapy.

According to the Glioblastoma Foundation the disease is the most aggressive type of tumor in the brain. The Foundation states: “Standard treatment - surgery, radiation and chemotherapy - is ineffective and the median survival of a person diagnosed with glioblastoma is about 15 months; without treatment it is 3-6 month. Although radiation and chemotherapy prolong life, they also reduce the quality of life.”

But Schneider has continued living her life - even traveling overseas - since her diagnosis.

By honing in on the specifics of Schneider’s tumor, and through genomic testing, doctors were able to devise a treatment plan that gave Schneider more freedom to live her life fully. Through therapeutic treatment, electrodes cover her head, creating low-intensity, alternating electrical fields that slow the growth of cancer cells.

When Schneider told Dr. Gatson that she wanted to travel to Lourdes, France to visit “The Grotto,” her doctor said, “I want you to go to France. Don’t worry about chemotherapy. It will be waiting for you when you get back.”

So in August, Schneider and her older sister, Julie Cooper, made the pilgrimage more than 4,000 miles to France, a trip gifted to them by their congregation at St. Jude’s Catholic Church. According to the tourism website, Lourdes, located in southwest France, is known for its Christian shrine where, in 1858, “The Virgin Mary appeared to a 14-year-old peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous.” Millions of tourists come to partake in the grotto’s spring waters believed to have healing properties.

Having the therapeutic electrode treatment, made it easier and safer for Schneider to make the long journey. The wearable device is attached to a battery pack. Schneider’s husband devised a portable cart to give her more mobility with ease. Having her older sister at her side, was something Schneider said gave her added confidence to make the trip. Throughout Schneider’s diagnosis and treatment, her husband and family members have provided constant support.

“This is the therapy I can’t write a prescription for - your sister and your family have been such advocates,” said Dr. Gatson. Schneider is child number six of seven children; Julie Cooper is child number three. Schneider and her husband have three adult boys and eight grandchildren between the ages of 8 and 12.

Looking forward to her 59th year, Schneider will continue with infusions every two weeks along with the electrode therapy. She said she and her sister are planning a trip to visit The Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Ky. She also hopes to make a trip to Florida.

More than anything, Schneider said she is going to stay positive and rely on her faith.

“I say Dr. Gatson is my ‘angel from God.’ Our Father in heaven is the one who keeps me going because I have eight grand babies who need me.”