Tributes

The world has lost a remarkable voice for kidney cancer. Laura Loughlin, KCCure’s Director of Patient Engagement, died from her disease on March 27th. After her diagnosis with advanced disease, Laura found comfort in connecting with other patients and wrote about how supporting others gave her a new purpose and meaning. She was one of the first people I reached out to when we began building our patient communities. I’m grateful for the leadership she provided to KCCure and for the friendship she bestowed on me. She helped launch our KCCure Ambassador program and represented the patient voice at meetings like ASCO and ASCO-GU. Laura always wanted to know more and learn more – so she could share that knowledge with others. She was a wonderful champion of clinical trials, al...

Four years ago today my husband went to the emergency room for what I was certain was kidney stones. Flank pain and bloody urine that came on quickly. Everyone at the ER agreed until the CT scan came back. I’ll never forget the first time we heard the diagnosis. Kidney cancer. That night was one of the longest in our lives. I remember curling up next to him on the stretcher trying to find some comfort for both of us. With God’s grace we have continued to find comfort through our faith. Feeling grateful today that we are still able to snuggle and spend time together. Life is so different today. But since this journey began we have gone skiing in Utah, bought a travel trailer saw Yellowstone covered in snow and so many beautiful sights in our national parks out west. We went kayaking on...

Tanner Miller shares his story about how an RMC clinical trial at MDAnderson Comprehensive Cancer Center is shrinking his tumors and giving him hope for the future. My dream was falling into place, rounding out my senior year of college at Kansas State University with a couple of classes to complete… future job in financial advising/commodities and then September 22, 2015, arrived. “The worst day of my life.” The common stomachache turned to flank pain diagnosed as Renal Medullary Carcinoma (RMC), a rare form of kidney cancer attacking mainly young people in their twenties with Sickle Cell Trait. We had never heard of this type of kidney cancer, resulting in my mother turning to the internet and finding an article by Cora Connor mentioning MD Anderson (MDA), and Dr. Tannir, Depar...

Bardy shares his story about how the power of advocacy. By connecting with Cora Connor, founder of RMC Support and Dr. Nizar Tannir of MD Anderson Comprehensive Cancer Center, he was able to get the right care for a rare and aggressive form of kidney cancer. My Name is Bardolph McConnell, I was recently diagnosed with RMC or Renal Medullary Carcinoma which is a rare form of kidney cancer associated with sickle cell trait. I’m a 48 yr old African American with sickle trait. I had been having lower Back pain that I threw off as ordinary back pain untill I started urinating blood in December of 2018. I went to the emergency room where they did so many tests but couldn’t find anything wrong. I was a healthy man all my life with no ailments whatsoever. I kept going back to urgent ca...

Keith M Puls (1958-2017) was diagnosed May 2017 with stage IV RCC. Keith and I began this journey scared and anxious. We fought hard and this disease was very powerful and overwhelming. Keith was an amazing chef, artist, and musician

Holly and Joe share a story that is familiar to many of us who have experienced a kidney cancer diagnosis. Delays due to the wrong tests, referrals for complications. But also what it means to patients when doctors communicate effectively and when nurses go above and beyond to save Christmas. Holly and Joe - we are all here cheering you on!