Vietnam Veteran finds new hope through VA support and cancer research

VA care coordination means focusing on treatment

Jerry Rose joined the Army in July 1966. He trained as a radio repairman and deployed to Vietnam in 1967, serving with the 1st Signal Battalion. In the Mekong Delta, he experienced the intensity of the Tet Offensive as the Viet Cong breached their perimeter twice, forcing his unit to fight just to hold their ground. He left Vietnam in 1968. Decades later, Rose found himself battling against the odds once more—this time against pancreatic cancer that had spread to his liver.

Facing limited treatment options after receiving chemotherapy through a community care oncologist, Rose’s wife JoAnne reached out to VA seeking help. Eventually, her message reached Jackie Boreland, a clinical trials nurse navigator with VA’s Cancer Clinical Research Service (CCRS). Boreland learned more about her husband’s case and researched available clinical trials, finding studies both within VA and through partner organizations. One of the options required advanced genetic sequencing of Rose’s tumor—testing that had not yet been done.

VA takes the lead on care coordination

Boreland then contacted VA’s National Precision Oncology Program, which obtained Rose’s tumor tissue and arranged for the sequencing. The results revealed a BRCA2 gene mutation, opening a new treatment path that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. At the same time, Boreland connected Rose with a research team at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), where he enrolled in a clinical trial to treat his pancreatic cancer at the NCI clinical center. The clinical trial identified that Rose could be eligible to receive an additional BRCA2-targeted medication at the same time as his regular treatment.

Working across teams, Boreland helped coordinate between Rose’s NCI oncologist, his community care oncologist and VA pharmacy staff to ensure he could safely receive both clinical trial therapy and the newly identified targeted medication.

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Boreland and numerous VA partners, Rose enrolled in an NCI clinical trial, received precision testing through VA and began a targeted therapy recommended for his cancer type. Rose and wife JoAnne described Boreland as “amazing” and “always available.”

Through close coordination and consistent communication, she helped ensure Rose and his family felt supported at every step of the process. His story stands as a testament to persistence, teamwork, and VA’s commitment to helping Veterans explore every option for care—just as Rose once stood ready to serve his country in Vietnam, today VA stands ready to serve him.

Find more information on VA’s Cancer Clinical Trials program.