During Kidney Cancer Awareness Month, visit us at KCCure each day, where we’ll share a new story from someone whose life has been touched by kidney cancer. We share Kidney Cancer Patient Stories to let others know that they’re not alone.
One day, after talking to a kidney cancer patient on the phone, my daughter Josie asked me what we had been talking about. I said, “He has cancer, and he’s afraid.” Josie responded, “I hope you told him not to be scared! That he’s going to be OK!”
I asked her to tell me something that scares her, to which she said, “rollercoasters.” Then I asked, “If you were riding a rollercoaster, and I told you ‘don’t be afraid,’ do you think it would work?” Thinking about it, Josie concluded that it would not.
“But what if I rode the rollercoaster with you and held your hand,” I said. “Would that help?” “Of course,” Josie agreed.
In kidney cancer, we don’t have early screening or diagnostic tests. Telling people about signs and symptoms isn’t as useful because when a tumor is symptomatic, it’s often telling us that it’s a more advanced cancer. Instead, we share our stories because it’s a way of magnifying our voice. To tell the world that we exist and that we need more funding for research to find a cure.
Our first story is from Joanne Romero. Joanne was 26 weeks pregnant when doctors discovered that she had stage 4 kidney cancer. Today, she is an inspiring survivor who has made it her mission to give hope to others.
Each day in March, visit us at KCCure, where we’ll share a new story from someone whose life has been touched by kidney cancer. Get inspired, connect with others, know that you aren’t alone! We are all on this rollercoaster together.
