Taiven’s story: A decade of courage and determination
In January 2015, Taiven Schopf was just 5 years old. Like most kids his age, he loved soccer, T-ball and animals. But unlike other kindergarteners, the York resident had been experiencing occasional bouts of unexplained vomiting.
His parents initially suspected a food allergy and carefully tracked everything he ate. Then one day, one of Taiven’s eyes suddenly rotated. Concerned, his pediatrician referred him to a pediatric ophthalmologist.
“He vomited as soon as we arrived,” recalled his mom, Tammy. “They took a quick look in his eyes and immediately sent us for an MRI at York Hospital. “After the MRI they said, ‘You’re going to Hershey tonight.”
A life-changing diagnosis
At Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital, doctors discovered two tumors that were later diagnosed as a rare brain cancer called ependymoma. A few days later, Taiven underwent brain surgery and began the fight of his young life.
Taiven greets a therapy dog after surgery.
Following surgery, he developed posterior fossa syndrome, a complication that can occur when a tumor is removed from the back of the brain.
“It left him with significant left-sided weakness, and he was unable to walk or talk for several months,” said Tammy.
As Taiven underwent treatment and intensive rehabilitation, his parents temporarily sent the family dog to stay with his grandparents out of concern for Taiven’s safety.
“This kid loves animals,” Tammy said. “When we reintroduced them at Easter that year, Taiven’s focus returned, and then we saw significant improvement in his speech from there. That was a big thing for us.”
When cancer came back
By October, despite IV chemotherapy and radiation, the tumors continued to grow, and his cancer was declared recurrent.
“This is not uncommon with the type of ependymoma that Taiven has,” explained pediatric neuro-oncologist Dr. Elizabeth Finch. “We often see that it progresses after frontline therapy.”
Taiven began an oral chemotherapy regimen that reduced and stabilized his tumors, allowing him to stop treatment after 16 months. For nearly four years, he enjoyed that hard-earned stability.
Then, in October 2020, his cancer returned.
Undeterred, Taiven restarted oral chemotherapy but months later, another devastating challenge emerged.
Taiven suffered a stroke in May 2021 leaving him unable to walk.
Fighting back again
“In May 2021, he suffered a stroke as a delayed result of the radiation he had received years earlier,” Tammy said. “The stroke left him unable to walk, with difficulty swallowing and significant right-sided weakness.”
For a second time, Taiven fought his way back, relearning how to walk and even teaching himself how to run again.
“After four years, the oral chemotherapy had kept his cancer stable, so we decided to take him off some of the harsher oral chemotherapy while keeping him on two of the milder oral agents to help ensure it does not come back,” Dr. Finch said. “Since then, he’s been doing really well.”
Pursuing his own path
More than a decade after his diagnosis, Taiven’s journey has been marked by difficult treatments, painful setbacks and countless obstacles. Yet through every challenge, he has shown a remarkable determination to keep moving forward.
Now a senior at York County School of Technology, Taiven is studying landscaping and working toward a career of his own, one that may include operating heavy equipment.
“Taiven still has balance, fatigue and weakness challenges, but they certainly haven’t stopped him from pursuing the opportunities that come his way or from experiencing all that life has to offer,” Tammy said. “If anything, he has continued to show us that a challenge doesn’t have to stand in the way of trying something new or pursuing what he enjoys.”
Taiven is pursuing a future in landscaping as he works toward a career of his own.
A community they can count on
Taiven’s story is not only one of resilience, but also of the support that has helped his family navigate childhood cancer. Alongside the expert care of his medical team, Four Diamonds and THON have provided resources, encouragement and a community they can rely on.
“The care has been phenomenal since day one,” Tammy said. “The support we’ve had, the great relationships we’ve built and the doctors who’ve cared for Taiven – we wouldn’t be able to do it without all of them.”
Taiven shares a special moment with the Penn State Nittany Lion at THON.
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