Patient Stories

This is a guest post by Sid Sadler. Sid was diagnosed with stage 2 kidney cancer in February of 2024. He is married to his wife of eight years, Rachel, they have two loving pups Ollie and Penny, and a new daughter named Parker. Follow him at @theunremarkablekidney on Instagram. As I’m sitting here writing this, I can hear my…

This is a guest post by Annamaria Scaccia, a kidney and thyroid cancer survivor, patient advocate, and member of the KCA's Patient & Caregiver Advisory Council. As a cancer survivor, I sometimes feel like an imposter. Even years after my diagnosis, I catch myself questioning if my experiences really “qualify” me to be in certain spaces. But in mid-January, something…

This is a guest post by Rachele Funes, 35. She and her family live in Florida. It was a week before my daughter’s first birthday. I’d finally gotten a referral to a pelvic floor therapist that felt my mass and got the ball rolling on what we now know is chromophobe kidney cancer. Being a first time mom I’d dismissed…

This is a guest post by Shayna Lowe, 26. She lives in West Virginia. Never would I have thought a Slip N’ Slide would save my life. On August 5th, 2024 I was at work and we were having a fun day for the kids at the juvenile detention center where I'm employed. One of the activities was a Slip…

This is a guest post by Nicole Scott, whose husband Keith is diagnosed with kidney cancer. Together, they organize “Keith’s Cause” to raise awareness about kidney cancer where they live in Ohio. I have been a caregiver in different capacities for my husband for over 20 years. On May 10, 2023 my husband, Keith was diagnosed with papillary RCC which…

This is a guest post by Nicole Scott, whose husband Keith is diagnosed with kidney cancer. Together, they organize “Keith’s Cause” to raise awareness about kidney cancer where they live in Ohio. I was on my ten-minute drive to work when it started happening again. My eyes filled with tears as I tried to think of something else but my…

In this deeply personal final episode of season 2 of Kidney Cancer Unfiltered, host Annamaria Scaccia sat down with her partner Sam and son Kelly to reflect on their shared journey through her two cancer diagnoses: chromophobe renal cell carcinoma in 2020 and papillary thyroid carcinoma in 2023. Around the kitchen table, they have an open and emotional conversation about…

In season 2, episode 9 of Kidney Cancer Unfiltered, host Annamaria Scaccia talked with Katie Coleman, a stage 4 kidney cancer survivor, and Dr. Pavlos Msaouel, a physician-scientist at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Together, they shared insights into navigating a rare cancer diagnosis, the challenges of advocating for oneself in the medical system, and the importance of research for better…

In season 2, episode 8 of Kidney Cancer Unfiltered, host Annamaria Scaccia sat down with Heather Williams, who was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer just days before learning she was pregnant. Heather shared her incredible journey of navigating aggressive treatment for renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) while protecting her unborn child. https://kidneycancerst.wpengine.com/stories/heather-williams/ With unwavering support from her husband,…

In season 2, episode 7 of Kidney Cancer Unfiltered, host Annamaria Scaccia connected with Dr. Pedro Barata, a genitourinary oncologist, about how geography and socioeconomic factors impact access to cancer care. Dr. Barata highlighted the unique challenges faced by patients in rural areas, such as long travel times, limited access to oncologists, and difficulties enrolling in clinical trials. He discussed…