Eric Janeau defies the odds: Survives 1% chance with rare cancer victory

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. - Douglas County motivational speaker Eric Janeau's test has become his testimony. The former college football player has beaten a rare bile duct cancer. Doctors say the survival rate is 1%.  

"I had four to six months to live, that's stretching it," says Janeau. "God kept me here for a purpose." 

The 50-year-old New Orleans native discovered his cancer by accident. He had been struggling with esophageal achalasia. It's an illness that causes swallowing problems, regurgitation issues and chest pain. 

"I used to hit my side," recalled an animated Janeau. "I'm thinking it was a spasm." 

However, a doctor decided to take another step when the former offensive lineman mentioned the pain again. It led to an order for an MRI, which lead to a doctor's stage IV bile duct cancer diagnosis. It had diagnosis metastasized to his liver. 

" What's after Stage IV ?" asked Janeau." She (the doctor) looked at the sky, she said that's it."  

He said that's when it all clicked for him. 

"Nah, we're going to fight," exclaimed Janeau. 

With a combination of immunotherapy and intense chemotherapy, which included the use of cisplatin. 

"One of the strongest chemo meds out there. She (the doctor) said you drank cisplatin like rainwater," laughed Janeau." I said 'doc, you should see how I drink the Hennessey." 

Wellstar Health System oncologist Dr. Carmen Klass says the goal was to shrink the tumor.  

"But the treatment is still a wide cry from being perfect," said Dr. Klass. " Not everybody responds, but when patients respond, they can have a long period of stabilization of disease or enough shrinkage that we can tackle it surgically." 

The treatment worked for Janeau and allowed for successful surgery. Dr. Klass calls all of this very unusual. 

"Unfortunately, by the time these cancers are found, they are already too big to be surgically removed," said Dr. Klass. "We hope everyone is a miracle like Eric, and we pray he continues to be a miracle." 

The jovial man believes faith, mindset, and discipline is how he got to this point today—two years cancer-free. 

"Eric just had a spirit from the get-go" recalled Dr. Klass. 

"God's hands were on me," said Janeau 

In fact, he says cancer saved his life. He's changed his lifestyle. Diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease are all healed after weight loss and more. 

"I have a new lease on life," said Janeau." My hunger to live is stronger than my will to die."