Living Well with Kidney Cancer

Being diagnosed with and treated for kidney cancer will change many facets of your life. This page provides information and support to help you manage your stress and improve your health and wellbeing

Listen to kidney cancer specialists from around the country discuss rapidly evolving advances in kidney cancer treatments and the positive outcomes they see in their patients. Understanding that many options exist for the treatment of your disease can help you keep moving forward with living your best life.

We’ve collected some great resources on this page to help you support your wellbeing by providing support as you care for your relationships, your financial health, and your body, mind and soul.

VISIT THE TRANSCRIPTS PAGE FOR PRINTED NOTES FROM THE VIDEO

Caring for your Relationships

A cancer diagnosis can impact your emotional health, which in turn can affect your relationships. This is a life-changing experience, and you may need to adjust roles in your household and extended family. We’ve gathered resources to guide you as you share your diagnosis, communicate with others, and look for support.

Sharing Your Diagnosis

How to tell others about your cancer diagnosis is a personal choice. There’s no one right time or way to share your information. Visit our resources aimed to help you start these conversations.

Communicating with Family

A cancer diagnosis affects everyone in the family, but especially your partner. We have some good tips for keeping the lines of communication with your spouse or partner open.

Communicating your Diagnosis to Children

Informing your children about your diagnosis of kidney cancer is difficult. Here is some advice from experts to prepare.

Support Groups & Forums

Connecting with other patients and caregivers is a huge source of support for both newly diagnosed patients and those who’ve been living with cancer for a while. You are not alone!

Tips for the Caregiver

Here are resources for friends and family members giving care to a person with cancer. It’s also important to take care of yourself while caring for your loved one.

“There is a temptation from family and friends to try to fix things, to try to make everything better. Ultimately, what a patient who has a new cancer diagnosis needs is for family and friends to be there, to support them and for the occasional hug.”

Dr. Moshe Ornstein, MD, MA – Cleveland Clinic

A cancer diagnosis can make you feel like you’ve lost control of your body and health, but there is a lot you can still do to stay active, get the most out of your treatment, and reduce the impact of side effects on your life. This section gives some ways that can help your body feel its best.

Caring for your
Body

Keeping Up Your Daily Routine

Think about how you want to spend your time and who you like to be with. Try to develop a daily routine.

Click the link below to view this information from Cancer.org

Staying Active

Physical exercise can help your mood and your health.

Click the link below to view this information from This is living with cancer.com

Caring for Your Kidney Function

Your kidneys are vital organs. Check out these healthy steps to take the best care of your kidneys.

Improving your Sleep

Worry, pain and schedule disruption can all negatively affect your sleep. Get ideas for sleep management so you can feel your best.

Click the link below to view this information from Cancer.gov

Healthy Eating

Consider making beneficial changes through healthy eating habits and better nutrition if you are not already doing so.

Caring for Mind & Soul

A kidney cancer diagnosis can impact more than your physical health. For many patients, learning how to care for their mind and soul as they navigate diagnosis and treatment can be helpful. Read on for some resources we’ve collected. 

Managing Stress

Read and/or download this good guide from NCI on the many mental and emotional aspects of adjusting to cancer.

Spirituality in Cancer Care

Some patients find that their spiritual beliefs can help them cope with cancer. Your oncologist can refer you to resources for spiritual support in your cancer center and in your community.

Click the link below to view this page from Cancer.gov

Caring for your
Financial Health

Take the time to look at the in-depth information from our partner, Triage Cancer and the website “My Healthcare Finances” produced by Pfizer to learn more.

Caring for your
Financial Health

Our partner, Triage Cancer, provides free education on the practical and legal issues that can arise after a cancer diagnosis.

MyHealthcareFinances is a tool to help you better understand finances related to healthcare and steps you may take to lower your costs. 

Reliable  Resources for Cancer Information
The internet is vast, and looking online for medical information or resources can be overwhelming. Here are some trustworthy sites to find information on kidney cancer.
NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
www.cancer.gov
From the American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO)
CANCER.NET
www.cancer.net
NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER NETWORK
Guidelines for Patients with Kidney Cancer
www.nccn.org
NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER NETWORK
Pautas para Pacientes con Cáncer de Riñón (Español)
www.nccn.org
INTERNATIONAL KIDNEY CANCER COALITION
www.ikcc.org
CANCER AND CAREERS
Strategies for Coping with Cancer in the Workplace
www.cancerandcareers.org

This helpful widget from the National Cancer Institute can help you with medical vocabulary:

Understanding Your Kidney Cancer Diagnosis

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Building a Care Team

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Treatment & Trial Options

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Living Well with Kidney Cancer

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Latest News

Chuck Stravin: “With Time Comes Hope”

Chuck Stravin: “With Time Comes Hope”

Chuck Stravin is married to his high school sweetheart, Liz, and lives in Quincy, Massachusetts, just south of Boston. Diagnosed with advanced renal cancer in 2015, Chuck is beating the odds and has become a passionate advocate for kidney cancer research funding.   For this month's Community...

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From the Heart to the Hill: Advocating for Kidney Cancer Research Funding

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Latest News

From the Heart to the Hill: Advocating for Kidney Cancer Research Funding

From the Heart to the Hill: Advocating for Kidney Cancer Research Funding

Spring Advocacy : By the Numbers KidneyCAN is thrilled to announce the success of our Spring Advocacy Days event, which took place on March 13th in person in Washington, D.C., and on March 14th virtually. We are grateful for the 186 confirmed meetings with representatives from 42 states, including...

SUPPORT OUR WORK →

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Latest News

Chuck Stravin: “With Time Comes Hope”

Chuck Stravin: “With Time Comes Hope”

Chuck Stravin is married to his high school sweetheart, Liz, and lives in Quincy, Massachusetts, just south of Boston. Diagnosed with advanced renal cancer in 2015, Chuck is beating the odds and has become a passionate advocate for kidney cancer research funding.   For this month's Community...