Patient Stories

Decades of kidney cancer research support

Donor Story, Patient Stories

John Fudala and Barbara Gerzonich came together over food and science. John Fudala's Health Department ID photo, taken before his illness took hold. Photo courtesy of Barbara Gerzonich. They both worked in public health – on the same floor of the same food safety office in New York state. John specialized in tracking foodborne outbreaks while Barbara focused on food…

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Faith and family helped Craig through his kidney cancer journey

Patient Stories

Craig Dowdy was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation at age 62. That meant regular checks for blood clots. During one such check, a tumor was found on Craig’s left kidney.  Having never had any kidney cancer symptoms, Craig underwent surgery to remove the left kidney and tumor removed in 2012. The tissue surrounding his tumor appeared to be cancer free but…

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Coping with kidney cancer through the COVID-19 pandemic

Patient Stories

Megan Conley was diagnosed with chromophobe renal cell carcinoma in February 2020 and underwent surgery in March during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic uncertainty. She shared her experience and her major learnings and takeaways in a three-part series. From driving non-stop from Florida to Washington DC for treatment, to watching her husband wave at her hospital window from the street,…

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Billy Foster is jazzing up the vote

Patient Stories

“I had been thinking of writing a voting song when one night I woke up with a tune in my head. I went to the piano and wrote it down. The words started to come to me, and after a couple of days, I had those also." As a professional jazz pianist, William "Billy" Foster’s passion for music gave him…

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“Life after kidney cancer will be different” (Part 3)

Patient Stories

In this three-part series, guest writer Megan Conley describes her experience with kidney cancer. Megan is a featured speaker at the KCA’s upcoming IKCS 2020 and Virtual Patient Symposium (register now).  Read part one: “For Megan Conley, an Unexpected Diagnosis”. Read part two: "How much we take for granted." After five days in my Washington D.C. hospital following a partial nephrectomy for…

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“How much we take for granted” (Part 2)

Patient Stories

In this three-part series, guest writer Megan Conley describes her experience with kidney cancer. Megan is a featured speaker at the KCA’s upcoming IKCS 2020 and Virtual Patient Symposium (register now). Read part one: “For Megan Conley, an Unexpected Diagnosis”. Read part three - "Life after kidney cancer will be different." I finally had a diagnosis – chromophobe renal cell…

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For Megan Conley, an Unexpected Diagnosis (Part One)

Patient Stories

In this three-part series, guest writer Megan Conley describes her experience with kidney cancer. Megan is a featured speaker at the KCA's upcoming IKCS 2020 and Virtual Patient Symposium (register now). Read part two - "How much we take for granted." Read part three - "Life after kidney cancer will be different." Megan Conley and her husband. My husband and…

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The leader of the “kidney cancer club” shares what he’s learned

Patient Stories

 Startled by a change in his urine color, 44-year-old Chapmann brought up his concern to his wife Cindy, who is an ER nurse. Cindy mentioned the idea of kidney stones and assured her husband that all was okay since he had no pain. However, Cindy also encouraged Chapmann to schedule a doctor appointment.  After returning home from a volleyball game…

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Facing kidney cancer, Matty learned how to be his own advocate

Patient Stories

 After suffering from severe flank pain all summer, Matty McClain decided to visit his general practitioner in late 2018. Blood tests results seemed normal, but when Matty examined his results more closely online, he noticed that his creatinine had gone from less than .99 milligrams/deciliters (mg/dL)* to 1.36mgl/dL and his estimated glomerular filtration rate from over 90 millimeters/minute (mL/min)* to…

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Michele’s #orangestacksforkidneycancer takes off on Instagram

Donor Story, Patient Stories

 Early in July, stacks of orange-colored books began popping up on Instagram. Michele Voss, a book lover whose Instagram account is devoted to what she’s been reading, wanted to do something special to honor her husband, Ted Voss, who had kidney cancer and died in 2018.  “I had been thinking about it for a while. People post [pictures of] book…

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