Advanced stage pancreatic cancer typically has a limited life expectancy, often with survival being measured in months rather than years. William “Charley” Maynard of Oklahoma City is an exception to that rule.
Advanced stage pancreatic cancer typically has a limited life expectancy, often with survival being measured in months rather than years. William “Charley” Maynard of Oklahoma City is an exception to that rule.
The 65-year-old shares his inspiring journey as a 20-year survivor of stage four pancreatic cancer. Watch the full video story here.
Grim Diagnosis
Bashar Alasad, M.D., is a medical oncologist at the INTEGRIS Health Cancer Institute at INTEGRIS Health Southwest Medical Center. He admits, the odds were not in Charley’s favor. “With pancreatic cancer, with stage four disease, the average five-year survival rate is probably ten percent or less.”
“When he gave me two to seven months to live, I was kind of freaking a little bit,” Charley recalls. “So, I went home and I done a two-to-three-week pity party and I thought this isn’t living life. I’ve got to get up, make some money and enjoy what I’ve got left – and that’s what I did.”
Attitude Adjustment
Twenty years later, Charley boasts his clock is still ticking. “He is the longest person that I have treated for pancreatic cancer and he’s still alive without any disease activity,” comments Alasad. “Overall pancreatic cancer survival rates, while still much lower than other cancers, have gradually improved over the years. I absolutely believe that Charley’s positive attitude has played a huge role in his longevity.”
“I said doc, ‘I appreciate you keeping me alive as long as you have.’ I said, ‘You’ve done a damn good job.’ And he said, ‘I didn’t do it – you did.’ And that made me feel good man, that he thought enough of me to know that I’m too hardheaded to lay down to it.”
Reason for Living
Charley believes the reason he is still alive, is so that he can share his story and give hope to others facing a tough diagnosis. “I’ve never questioned anything about pancreatic cancer and still to this day I don’t know anything about it, because I didn’t want to know. That’s negativity in my eyes and I’m looking forward. I’m not going backwards in life.”
There are not clear-cut symptoms for early-stage pancreatic cancer. However, you should see a health care provider right away if you develop jaundice, stomach or back pain, unexplained weight loss or a sudden onset of diabetes.
If you have a first-degree family member (parents or siblings) with pancreatic cancer, you should talk to your doctor about your risk of developing the disease and the current screenings and genetic tests available.
