A Man's Health Took a Dramatic Turn After a Mountain Bike Crash - Here's What Happened
In June 2020, when Andy Provencher crashed his mountain bike and tumbled over the handlebars, he never expected it would change his life forever. The father of three had several broken bones, a punctured lung, and doctors' worst fears - cancer.
The emergency room doctor told him that scans revealed masses in his lungs, indicative of a very aggressive form of lung cancer. Provencher was shocked and devastated, thinking this was the end for him. However, as the years went by, he faced numerous challenges in getting an accurate diagnosis.
"I went to every doctor there was," Provencher said. "I saw my primary care physician, a hematologist, a pulmonologist, a rheumatologist, but we never had a solid answer or a solid diagnosis."
Meanwhile, Provencher's condition worsened, and he lost energy, struggled to walk up stairs, and endured excruciating pain, making him move like an 90-year-old man. He was advised to start chemotherapy, but it wasn't the right treatment for his mysterious illness.
Two weeks before starting the aggressive treatment, Provencher met a physician assistant who specialized in rheumatology. They discovered that Provencher had IgG4-RD, a rare immune disorder that can affect virtually any organ system. The diagnosis came as a surprise, and it changed everything.
"IgG4-RD moves slowly," said Dr. Ambreesh Chawla, a rheumatologist at the Cleveland Clinic. "It often damages organs before patients even know something is wrong." The condition has no permanent cure but can be managed with treatment.
Provencher was enrolled in a clinical trial to test the efficacy of inebilizumab, a medication that targets CD19, an antigen found only on the surface of B cells. The results were astonishing - 87% of patients who received inebilizumab saw their risk of disease flare reduced over one year.
In April 2025, inebilizumab became the first FDA-approved treatment for IgG4-RD. Three years after his diagnosis, Provencher is still taking the medication and feeling great. He has the energy to play with his kids and go out with friends.
While there's no permanent cure for IgG4-RD, Provencher hopes that further advocacy and education about the disease can lead to a better diagnostic process. "The most important thing is just keep going," he said. "Keep asking questions, keep moving forward."
In June 2020, when Andy Provencher crashed his mountain bike and tumbled over the handlebars, he never expected it would change his life forever. The father of three had several broken bones, a punctured lung, and doctors' worst fears - cancer.
The emergency room doctor told him that scans revealed masses in his lungs, indicative of a very aggressive form of lung cancer. Provencher was shocked and devastated, thinking this was the end for him. However, as the years went by, he faced numerous challenges in getting an accurate diagnosis.
"I went to every doctor there was," Provencher said. "I saw my primary care physician, a hematologist, a pulmonologist, a rheumatologist, but we never had a solid answer or a solid diagnosis."
Meanwhile, Provencher's condition worsened, and he lost energy, struggled to walk up stairs, and endured excruciating pain, making him move like an 90-year-old man. He was advised to start chemotherapy, but it wasn't the right treatment for his mysterious illness.
Two weeks before starting the aggressive treatment, Provencher met a physician assistant who specialized in rheumatology. They discovered that Provencher had IgG4-RD, a rare immune disorder that can affect virtually any organ system. The diagnosis came as a surprise, and it changed everything.
"IgG4-RD moves slowly," said Dr. Ambreesh Chawla, a rheumatologist at the Cleveland Clinic. "It often damages organs before patients even know something is wrong." The condition has no permanent cure but can be managed with treatment.
Provencher was enrolled in a clinical trial to test the efficacy of inebilizumab, a medication that targets CD19, an antigen found only on the surface of B cells. The results were astonishing - 87% of patients who received inebilizumab saw their risk of disease flare reduced over one year.
In April 2025, inebilizumab became the first FDA-approved treatment for IgG4-RD. Three years after his diagnosis, Provencher is still taking the medication and feeling great. He has the energy to play with his kids and go out with friends.
While there's no permanent cure for IgG4-RD, Provencher hopes that further advocacy and education about the disease can lead to a better diagnostic process. "The most important thing is just keep going," he said. "Keep asking questions, keep moving forward."
Cancer scare turned out to be rare immune disorder - what a turn up! 
The fact that it took him so long to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan is just heartbreaking. But the fact that he didn't give up hope and kept asking questions really makes me want to cheer for him 
! And can you believe that he's now playing with his kids and going out with friends because of this new medication? That's just amazing 
! I think it's so important for us to raise awareness about IgG4-RD and other rare diseases, so that others don't have to go through what he did. Let's all keep sending positive vibes to Provencher and his family 
. It's like, what even is going on in that body? But then he meets this physician assistant who specializes in rheumatology and she discovers this rare immune disorder IgG4-RD... it's like a whole new chapter opens up for him! 
. And I have to say, I'm intrigued by this inebilizumab treatment - 87% of patients saw their risk of disease flare reduced over a year? That's some amazing science! 
It just goes to show how much more there is to learn about our bodies and how we can improve our health. Anyway, it's definitely given me something to think about... what are your thoughts on this? 
Anyway, I just think it's wild that inebilizumab is now an FDA-approved treatment and Andy's doing great on the medication. Let's keep pushing for better diagnosis and treatment options for people with rare diseases, like IgG4-RD 
Just read about Andy Provencher's health drama after his mountain bike crash... He had a punctured lung & cancer, no one could figure out what was wrong with him for years. His life took a dramatic turn & he thought it was over 
. But then some doc finally found out he has IgG4-RD - a rare immune disorder that's super sneaky 
. The good news is he got the right treatment & his health is getting better, but there's no cure... just management 
. Anyway, now he's advocating for more awareness about this thing so others don't suffer like him 
I think we can all learn from his perseverance, even when faced with uncertainty or 'worst-case scenarios' 
he thought cancer was the end of him but it turns out he had a rare immune disorder called IgG4-RD. I'm so glad he got the right diagnosis and treatment, inebilizumab is literally saving his life 
It just goes to show how much we don't know about our bodies yet. Anyway, inebilizumab is def a game changer! 
The fact that it reduced the risk of disease flare by 87% is wild 
& thats what matters most that he's takin care of himself & his kids 
. But you know what's even more amazing? This guy is still taking medication and living his best life three years later! I hope more people learn about IgG4-RD and can get a better understanding of this condition, it's definitely not something you hear about every day 
I was just thinking about how crazy life can be 
, but it led to him discovering he had a rare immune disorder 
, but treatment has made such a huge difference for him 
- we should all be doing our part to spread the word! 
.
I mean, can you even imagine getting diagnosed with cancer after a mountain bike crash? 
. We should be celebrating his resilience and strength, not just his health 
.
. We need to keep pushing for better diagnostic processes and education so others don't have to go through what Andy did 
. Keep asking questions, keep moving forward - that's the message I take away from this story 
. But seriously, it's crazy how long he had to deal with the mystery of his illness before getting an accurate diagnosis. I mean, 4+ years is a looong time to be wandering around in the dark, especially when you're feeling like 90