Within that first year he was put on a trial that added another 2 or so years to his life. Then during that time another experimental treatment was created and tested on him and that gave him another couple of years. A decade and a half later here we are, he still has cancer but his family (wife and two kids) has got to keep him around a while longer.
He’s been “patient one” on a number of studies, some have helped him extend his life expectancy, others have done nothing. Sometimes he has the mental and physical energy to start a trial and other times he does not.
The cancer has never gone away, and there have been so many moments of false hope that I’m never really sure where he sits mentally anymore (he really doesn’t want to talk about cancer when we’re together and I don’t think anyone can blame him) but I know he’s grateful for the chance to add more time onto his life when the experimental treatments are available.