The Ferrell Foundation, an Austin, Texas-based cancer support non-profit, donated $10,000 to support the Kidney Cancer Association’s (KCA) Patient Assistance Fund (PAF). Spotlight: John Ferrell, Patient/Caregiver Advisory Council The PAF offers patients and families no-strings attached grants to relieve the financial burdens that accompany a kidney cancer diagnosis including treatment costs, transportation, and lodging. As the most common query among those who contact the KCA’s Patient Navigator Program for one-on-one guidance as well as a documented issue for people impacted by any type of ..read more

The Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) and the Chromophobe and Oncocytic Tumor Alliance (COA) will co-sponsor a 2024 research award specifically for researchers investigating distinguishing biological hallmarks of and treatments for chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC), a rare type of kidney cancer. This Chromophobe RCC Focus Award will provide $75,000 for one year to the selected researcher. It is one of four research awards the KCA is funding in 2024. Katie Coleman, COA’s founder who has been fundraising to bring this award to fruition since 2022, said providing strong support for researche ..read more

The Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) will partner with xCures, the AI-driven medical record aggregator and research company, to bring advanced opportunities for clinical trial participation and treatment to kidney cancer patients. The partnership builds on xCures’ expertise in real-world oncology data to accelerate research advances in kidney cancer. Researchers collaborating with the KCA may access xCures’ database of deidentified, real-time, regulatory-grade clinical data to support their work. In parallel, patients can contribute their medical records to the database as a way to get involved ..read more

The Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) will present Dr. Nizar M. Tannir with the Nicholas J. Vogelzang Humanitarian Award in honor of his outstanding service and compassion for his patients, his mentorship of colleagues, and his contributions to the KCA and the wider kidney cancer community. Gretchen E. Vaughan, KCA’s President and CEO, will present Dr. Tannir with the Vogelzang Award on Friday, November 10 during the KCA’s 2023 International Kidney Cancer Symposium (IKCS): North America in Nashville, Tennessee from November 9-11. “I am humbled to have been selected as the recipient of the 2023 ..read more

The Kidney Cancer Association is proud to announce an exciting collaboration with the Rare Cancer Research Foundation (RCRF) through its initiative, Pattern.org, that promises to accelerate advancements in the research and treatments of rare kidney cancers. Pattern.org is a patient-driven platform that empowers rare cancer patients to consent to donate their excess, fresh tumor tissue to support scientific research. Pattern.org has partnerships in place with institutions such as MD Anderson Cancer Center and Emory University/Aflac Cancer Center. In working with the KCA, more people with rare k ..read more

The Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) awarded six grants to six investigators pursuing innovative kidney cancer research across a spectrum of focus areas. The KCA distributed a total of $412,500 in research funds. All the awards support early- to mid-career investigators but three of the six awards supported proposals focused on rare types of kidney cancer. Rare kidney cancer types include the 20-25% of diagnoses that are not clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which is the most common kidney cancer type. These rare types are typically underfunded and understudied. Consequently, people with r ..read more

The Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) welcomes the Wilms Cancer Foundation (WCF) as its newest Affiliate Partner organization. WCF is a charitable organization that supports and represents the needs of children, families & healthcare organizations affected by childhood kidney cancer internationally. “The WCF is delighted to join the KCA Affiliate Program and looks forward to working closely with them to support the lives of children, families and healthcare professionals, and organizations who are tackling childhood kidney cancer on a daily basis,” said TJ Hodgkinson, WCF’s CEO and founder ..read more

The Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) welcomes the Judy Nicholson Kidney Cancer Foundation (JNF) as the newest affiliate partner organization. Through the Affiliate Program, the KCA can provide expanded support networks for people impacted by kidney cancer, bolster collective grassroots advocacy efforts, and increase opportunities to offer kidney cancer education to the wider community. “This affiliation between the Judy Nicholson Kidney Cancer Foundation and the Kidney Cancer Association represents an incredible opportunity for us to combine our efforts, amplify our impact, and provide enhance ..read more

Salvatore La Rosa with Gretchen E. Vaughan, CEO, at the KCA office in Houston, Texas. The Kidney Cancer Association welcomes Salvatore La Rosa, PhD, a non-profit executive with extensive experience in advancing research programs and treatment pipelines for rare diseases, as its first Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). La Rosa will oversee the KCA’s research initiatives, patient services, and all programs that drive clinical advances for the benefit of people impacted by kidney cancer. “Having Dr. La Rosa join our leadership team marks a seminal moment in the KCA’s history of service and advocacy ..read more

The Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) launched an Affiliate Program to bring together like-minded organizations and advocate in partnership for medical advances that improve the lives of people with kidney cancer.   The inaugural group of KCA affiliates are the Chris “CJ” Johnson Foundation, the Chromophobe and Oncocytic Tumor Alliance, and Joey’s Wings Foundation, each of which focus on a rare subtype of kidney cancer. “I am elated to exemplify our tagline – ‘Unstoppable Together’ – and work in close partnership and collaboration with the most impactful rare kidney cancer groups,” said Gr ..read more