Scarlett Talcott, a vibrant 11-year-old from southern Montana, stands confidently in front of the Capitol Building during KidneyCAN’s Advocacy Day. Living on a ranch with her parents, sister, and two brothers, Scarlett balances her love for the arts, crafting, and 4-H activities with a strong passion for advocacy. Scarlett is one of four young advocates we’re featuring in this month’s Community Spotlight, showcasing the impactful voices of young people in the fight against kidney cancer. Young Advocates Leading the Charge in Kidney Cancer Awareness In the heart of advocacy efforts led by Ki ..read more

On the outskirts of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Maggie Burns stands as a testament to resilience and advocacy within the kidney cancer community. A caregiver to her husband, Ron Stanton, Maggie is a proud member of the Cherokee Nation and a retired IT professional. Maggie’s life is a rich tapestry of experiences that span continents. Her story is particularly poignant, highlighting the unique challenges faced by veterans and underserved populations, including Native Americans, in accessing specialized care for kidney cancer. Through her advocacy work with KidneyCAN, Maggie gives voice to these communi ..read more

For this Community Spotlight feature, we spoke to Dr. Yousef Zakharia, a medical oncologist at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center and associate professor at the University of Iowa. Dr. Zakharia shares important information about finding the best care at NCI-designated centers, as well as his passion for advocacy. A Journey from Syria to Iowa Born in the picturesque town of Almozaina near Homs, Syria, Dr. Yousef Nabih Zakharia’s journey to the world of medicine was influenced by a lineage of doctors in his family. His father, Nabih, a retired physician, served as his life’s role model ..read more

This month, we asked Dr. Moshe Ornstein to share his insights in kidney cancer research and advocacy. He is a dedicated kidney cancer physician and researcher at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Ornstein completed his fellowship in Hematology & Oncology at the Cleveland Clinic and his medical education at Stony Brook University. His specialties include adrenal cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and prostate cancer, among others. He focuses on understanding why some patients have kidney cancer that gets better with therapy and others have kidney cancer that’s more resistant. His work aims t ..read more

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 Spotlight, we are sharing the story of our friend Chuck, who was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer in 2015. Chuck reflects on time and hope, as well as the critical need for continued research.  Boston Fan and #GIRLDAD Tell us a little about yourself.  I am a 55-year-old father ..read more

Phyllis was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2012. Tumors found on both kidneys and treated with surgery. Her cancer professed to stage IV in 2014, but Phyllis says, “Here I am, ten years later! Life has changed, but it is good!” For this month’s Community Spotlight, we are sharing the story of Lenny and Phyllis Chandler. Phyllis was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2012, and Lenny has been her steadfast support since. Here, they share her story, as well as Lenny’s quest to fund kidney cancer research funding in Phyllis’s honor.  A Kidney Cancer Diagnosis Inspires a Mission Please te ..read more

Dr. Laurence Albiges (Institut Gustave Roussy) presents on the microbiome at KCRS22. The microbiome has now been recognized as one of the emerging hallmarks and enabling characteristics of cancer. KidneyCAN hosted the 4th Annual Kidney Cancer Research Summit on October 6-7, 2022  live in Philadelphia at Convene CityView (in the Duane Morris Plaza) and virtually via Zoom webinar. KCRS is a meeting focused on basic science research, translational research, and clinical research in kidney cancer. This meeting is fueled by the ideas and research funded through the Department of Defense C ..read more

Deb Beyhan is the Patient Legislative Advocate for KidneyCAN. She was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer in 2016 at the age of 53. Deb lives outside of Atlanta, GA, with her husband.    For this month’s Community Spotlight, we want to tell you about a member of our volunteer team, Deb Beyhan. Deb is the Legislative Patient Advocate with KidneyCAN and works tirelessly to support our advocacy events (and all of our projects). Here, she shares her diagnosis story, tips for new patients, and how she became passionate about kidney cancer research funding.  A Diagnosis of Kid ..read more

Gary Poteat was the husband of Susan Poteat, KidneyCAN’s Medical Science Liaison. Gary and Susan were married for 43 years. Since Gary’s diagnosis of Stage IV kidney cancer in 2007, both Gary and Susan have been active advocates for research funding and trial participation. The KidneyCAN community is saddened to share the loss of Gary Poteat. Gary was diagnosed in 2007 with Stage IV kidney cancer, and in the 15 years since, he and his wife Susan have contributed enormously to research progress and advocacy efforts.  Gary Neal Poteat, age 68, of Beavercreek, Ohio, was born October 17, 19 ..read more

On August 8-9th, KidneyCAN gathered advocates from all over the United States to ask Congress for robust funding for kidney cancer research through the NIH and CDMRP (Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs). Read on to hear about our goals for this event and how you can help fund lifesaving research by speaking up with us! Accelerating Cures for Kidney Cancer Our quest for funding has a singular purpose: to accelerate cures for kidney cancer. We’ve come a long way in the last five years since the advent of the Kidney Cancer Research Program in 2017. During the ten years prior t ..read more