U. grad with stage 4 cancer heads to Washington to push for clinical trial access

NORTH SALT LAKE — What began as pain in his lower back eventually changed nearly every aspect of Joseph Mutalwa's life.

"I was thinking that it was something that was going to go away. The next day, I had pain in my arms," he said.

Mutalwa, who is originally from Uganda, said his symptoms began in January 2025, during his final year at the University of Utah. The discomfort later reached his legs. He also experienced shortness of breath, weight loss and difficulty walking.

After months of doctor visits, a bone marrow test finally provided an answer.

"They told me news which I didn't even want to hear: 'Joseph, you have stage 4 prostate cancer,'" Mutalwa said. "I broke down."

The cancer had already spread to his bones. Mutalwa spent nine days in the hospital and missed his college finals.

"Every day, it was pain to me," he said. "I couldn't sleep."

Even with ongoing treatment and a long list of medications, Mutalwa returned to school. He completed his bachelor's degree in international studies at the University of Utah and is now pursuing a master's degree in financial management through Boston University.

Mutalwa, a patient at Utah Cancer Specialists, began participating in a clinical trial in Salt Lake City this month.

"The standard treatment wasn't working as hoped, so the only option was the clinical trials," he said. "The clinical trials, to me, gave me more hope and options for treatment."

After meeting with Gov. Spencer Cox in May, Mutalwa is now taking his message to Washington.

On Sunday, he will travel to D.C. as part of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's annual Leadership Summit and Lobby Day. More than 700 cancer patients, survivors and advocates from across the country are expected to participate.

Mutalwa plans to meet with members of Utah's congressional delegation and urge them to increase federal funding for cancer research and expand access to clinical trials.

He will also advocate for the Clinical Trial Modernization Act, legislation intended to reduce financial and geographic barriers that can prevent patients from participating in clinical trials.

"Not everyone can afford the transportation, lodging or medical expenses," Mutalwa said. "Cancer research is not just a number to the federal government, but it's for real people like me and our families."

Mutalwa said he does not know what his own future holds, but he plans to keep fighting for others.

"I don't know how many years cancer is going to give me to stay," he said. "I can't control cancer, but I can control the time which I have left to use it for others and patients like me."

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