I’ve known six people who have died of pancreatic cancer, including my own dad in 2015. So, when I was diagnosed with that disease in June 2018, my first thought was: “I’ve got to get to MD Anderson.”

I live about an hour north of Dallas, close to the Oklahoma border. But I knew the six-hour drive to Houston would be worth it, because all MD Anderson does is cancer. It offers specialized treatment from doctors who are experts....