Pancreatic Cancer Survivor Thrives 5 Years After Diagnosis

When Ryan Dwars heard the words "pancreatic cancer" in March 2021, he didn't know if he'd see his kids grow up. Today, the 42-year-old special education teacher is celebrating five years since his diagnosis and has been cancer-free since March 2025.

The odds were stacked against him. Only 13% of pancreatic cancer patients survive five years, according to the American Cancer Society. But Ryan found hope at the University of Iowa Health Care Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, where cutting-edge treatments are changing survival rates.

One game-changer was intravenous vitamin C therapy. Dr. Joseph Cullen's research team discovered that combining high-dose vitamin C with standard chemotherapy doubled the median survival time for pancreatic cancer patients. The treatment wasn't just effective; patients like Ryan tolerated chemotherapy better and experienced fewer side effects.

The father of two continues monthly immunotherapy treatments while teaching at Iowa City West High School. He carefully monitors his diet and supplements with his wife, Brooke, staying vigilant without losing hope. His latest scans show no evidence of disease.

But Ryan's journey revealed an unexpected challenge: survivor's guilt. "When you're in the thick of it and trying to fight to survive, you don't even have a chance to think about the mental side," he says. He's lost friends to the same disease and struggled to process why he survived.

That's where the cancer center's survivorship programs stepped in. Through group and individual therapy, Ryan learned to manage the emotional aftermath of beating cancer. The programs help survivors understand and cope with side effects that can last a lifetime, from physical changes to mental health challenges.

Why This Inspires

Iowa has the second-highest cancer rate in the country, making this work especially urgent. Dr. Cullen receives inquiries weekly from pancreatic cancer patients worldwide hoping to access vitamin C therapy. His team is ready to launch a phase 3 clinical trial that could make the treatment widely available and affordable, but they need funding to begin.

Meanwhile, Ryan represents what's possible when medical innovation meets comprehensive care. He's not just surviving; he's teaching students, raising his family, and proving that cancer patients deserve both longer lives and better ones.

The research that saved Ryan's life is ready to help thousands more families facing the same diagnosis.