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ROBERT JANCAR: PANCREATIC CANCER WARRIOR

Always Get A Second Opinion. I Did. It Was With Dr. Douglas B. Evans

February 2022

Diagnosed: Spring of 2012
Status: No sign of Pancreatic Cancer

My world turned upside down in the spring of 2012. Up until then I was an active retiree and outdoorsman living in the mountains of southwest Colorado. Then after a series of visits to medical specialists to help explain some strange health symptoms, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Not knowing anything about this disease, my daughter immediately jumped in to help me do research. We were devastated to find out that the 5-year survival rate was only 6%, and only if I qualified for the Whipple Surgery. From there, my daughter did an exhaustive internet search to find an experienced and highly rated surgeon who performed at least 30 of these complicated surgeries a year.

She came up with a list of 3 surgeons that resulted in quickly set up interview trips to Denver, Milwaukee and Baltimore. Our second interview was with Dr. Douglas B. Evans at the Medical College of Wisconsin. We were so impressed with everything during that visit, that we cancelled our Baltimore visit, and decided on Dr. Evans and MCW.

A little of my background will better explain one important reason for my selection of Dr. Douglas Evans and MCW. I retired as a manufacturing executive with a large medical products company. Back in the early 1980’s, I helped start up a manufacturing plant that focused on the then, very new, concept of organizing our production employees in small teams and letting the teams participate in making decisions that would impact product quality, productivity and team harmony. This approach proved very successful by all measurements of product quality, costs and employee morale.

Thus, when visiting with Dr. D Evans at MCW, it became immediately apparent that they too embraced the team approach. Not only did we have a comprehensive interview with him, but he also set up meetings with the chemo oncologist, the radiation oncologist, the diabetic specialist and the dietician, all members of Dr. Evans team who were with me throughout my entire and very successful pre-op and post-op experience.

I truly believe that MCW’s use of the team approach along with the individual skills of their team members in serving their pancreatic cancer patients is the reason I am where I am, almost 10 years after my diagnosis. Since my surgery, I have archery hunted big game in Africa, chartered sailboats off Thailand, Australia and Croatia, fished the remote Amazon river and many more outdoor adventures.

Thanks to you Dr. Evans and your team at MCW.

I can’t end my story without a special thanks to my special advocates, my daughter Leanna and my wife Carol, whose efforts on my behalf picked me up when I was at my lowest and guided me to where I am today. I love you ❤

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