HEAR FROM RYAN
Ryan: Family Man, Sports Enthusiast and Advocate
The night before Thanksgiving 2022, Ryan's world changed forever. What started as severe back pain became a stage III kidney cancer diagnosis and an unexpected path to advocacy, healing and hope. Read how this Cincinnati sports fan and father of three turned his personal fight into a force for research and helping others. Read More
Maggie: Navigating Kidney Cancer in Veteran and Native American Communities
Five years into her husband Ron's stage IV kidney cancer battle, Maggie realized something crucial: her story mattered too. With a 3-ring binder full of medical notes and a fierce commitment to justice, this care partner has become a voice for her community by advocating for rural access, veterans' care and Native American health equity. Read More
Mark: Ultramarathon Running Helps Him Support His Wife’s Rare Kidney Cancer
"It's not easy watching your spouse having to live with cancer." Mark's words cut to the heart of a care partner’s experience. After three years of treatments, hospitalizations and uncertainty for his wife Dawn and their young family, Mark signed up for a 47-mile ultramarathon, not as an escape, but as an anchor. Discover how trail running, honest conversations and a community that showed up became the lifeline that kept him present through it all. Read More
Tracie: Standing Up For a Second Opinion
When Tracie's husband was diagnosed with bilateral papillary renal cell carcinoma, the doctor they consulted had one answer: remove both kidneys and prepare for a lifetime of dialysis. But Tracie stood up as a fierce health advocate and, through connection and community, sought a second opinion that changed everything. This is the story of how one woman's refusal to accept "the only option" saved her husband's kidneys and changed his future. Read More
Catherine: Navigating Cancer Treatment as a Healthcare Provider
Catherine was a physician’s assistant for 14 years, trained to heal others, but she never expected to become the youngest cancer patient in her own practice. This mother to a young son shares a vulnerable account of how her diagnosis of chromophobe RCC has impacted her life, including how it’s changed her outlook and given her an appreciation of every single day. Read More
Leah: Rare Kidney Cancer and Her Advocacy for Research
At 32 weeks pregnant, severe pain led Leah to ask for a diagnosis. What doctors initially dismissed as muscle cramps turned out to be a 9cm tumor on her left kidney. Two weeks later, she delivered a healthy baby girl. One day after that, she had surgery to remove her kidney. What followed was a diagnosis of rare translocation RCC, which sent her across the country to consult 10 oncologists and surgeons. Now she's on a mission to help others facing rare diseases find the care they need. Read More
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