Riding Through It: Tom Vibert’s Journey with Immunotherapy

Thomas Vibert was always on the move—balancing a demanding engineering career with his passion for cycling. But in 2012, a routine physical changed everything. He received a devastating diagnosis of Stage 4 colon cancer.

After immediate surgery and two grueling years of chemotherapy, his health continued to decline. Throughout it all, his bike remained his measure of strength, “If I could still ride, I knew I was fighting back.”

With standard treatments failing, Thomas sought a second opinion—and discovered a Duke University clinical trial for the immunotherapy drug nivolumab. He’ll never forget that first infusion: “I hadn’t eaten in months, but the next morning I devoured pancakes—and realized the pain was gone.” A week later, scans showed his tumor had shrunk more from that single dose of immunotherapy than from two years of chemotherapy.

Thomas continues to channel his resilience into advocacy—riding in cancer charity events nationwide and sharing the vital lesson he learned: “Don’t accept the first answer. Ask about trials. Know your biomarkers. Be your own advocate.”

Tom’s cancer remains in remission, and he champions the power of immunotherapy to give patients hope and a future. He’s become an ambassador for clinical trial enrollment, urging others to explore novel treatments.