Patient Stories

Kidney Cancer Unfiltered: The Power of Social Media with Sid Sadler

KCA, Patient Stories

In season 2, episode 2 of Kidney Cancer Unfiltered, host Annamaria Scaccia spoke with Sid Sadler, a young kidney cancer survivor, about how social media became his lifeline after being diagnosed with stage 2 clear cell renal carcinoma at 32. Sid shared how searching “kidney cancer” on TikTok led him to his first connection in the community. Platforms like Instagram…

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Kidney Cancer Unfiltered: The Sanders Family’s Journey Through Pediatric Kidney Cancer

KCA, Patient Stories

In the Season 2 premiere of Kidney Cancer Unfiltered, host Annamaria Scaccia sat down with Alexandra Sanders and her family, who shared their journey through pediatric kidney cancer; detailing the Sanders' experience, starting with young Dre's sudden diagnosis at just four years old. His mother, who goes by Alex and is an an oncology nurse, described how abdominal pain and…

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My 4-Year Stage 4 "Cancerversary"

Patient Stories

This is a guest post by Joel Stern, stage 4 kidney cancer, member of the KCA’s Board of Directors. Saturday November 16, 2024 was a huge day for me. I celebrated my 4th year “cancerversary” with Stage 4 clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Many celebrate this anniversary. Some consider it a “dark” day they would rather ignore. I choose…

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Surviving Against All Odds: The Inspirational Journey of Salima Witt

KCA, Patient Stories

This is a guest post by Salima Witt, survivor of stage 3b kidney cancer and member of the Kidney Cancer Association's Patient & Caregiver Advisory Council. People often ask me, "How are you still alive?" For those familiar with my story, the answer is clear. My name is Salima Witt, and I am here to share my miraculous journey as…

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From Diagnosis to Determination: My Ongoing Cancer Journey

Patient Stories

This is a guest post by Jeffrey Ellin, 45, who has a rare genetic BAP1 mutation that puts him at high risk for developing multiple cancers, including kidney cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2023. Jeff is based in Baltimore, Maryland. Discovering I Was at Risk Jeff Ellin after completing the 2024 Marine Corp Marathon on October 27, 2024.…

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Ultramarathon Running Helps Mark Support His Wife Through Rare Kidney Cancer

Donor Story, Patient Stories

This is a guest post by Mark Dyson, 39, whose wife Dawn is diagnosed with translocation renal cell carcinoma. Mark, who lives with his family in England, is preparing to run an ultramarathon on September 14-15, 2024, to raise funds for kidney cancer research. Mark Dyson embraced running and nature to cope with the stress of his partner's cancer diagnosis.…

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What Cancer Has Taught Me

Patient Stories

This is a guest post by Teri Wight, 51, a teacher and a chromophobe renal cell carcinoma survivor based in Arizona. Read her other blog post “Just Shy of a Decade and Still Learning.” At the age of 51, I am a nine-and-a-half-year survivor of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, a rare type of kidney cancer that affects about 5% of…

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Spotlight: Sean Healy, Patient & Caregiver Advisory Council

KCA, Patient Stories

Sean Healy joined the KCA’s Patient & Caregiver Advisory Council in 2024. Sean was diagnosed with stage 3 kidney cancer in 2018. He lives in Richmond, Virginia. What motivated you to get involved with the KCA? Sean with his family, left to right: Ryan, Paige, Patrick, Sean. When I was diagnosed with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in 2018,…

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Just Shy of a Decade and Still Learning

Patient Stories

This is a guest post by Teri Wight, 51, who was diagnosed with chromophobe renal cell carcinoma in 2014. She is a teacher based in Arizona. Read her other blog post, "What Cancer Has Taught Me". At the age of 51, I am a nine and a half year survivor of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC), a rare type of…

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Brandy Verdin's Kidney Cancer Story

Patient Stories

This is a guest post by Brandy Verdin, who was diagnosed with stage 4 renal cell carcinoma on May 1, 2023. She is based in Gray, Louisiana. I did everything I was supposed to do to live disease-free. Or at least I thought I had. My name is Brandy Verdin and I am a retired personal trainer and fitness nutrition…

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