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Cancer, the big ‘C’ - it is a chilling word and one that devastates the lives of everyone it touches.

My wonderful husband David was diagnosed with metastatic renal cancer in October 2013. This shocking and shattering news caused our world to fall apart and we both felt extremely frightened and unsure of what the future held.

The presentation of David’s illness was unusual in that he developed a build-up of fluid in his tummy over the period of some months. It was thought that he might have some gastric problems and he was referred to a consultant gastroenterologist. There were no other symptoms evident. A series of scans revealed that there was a tumour on David’s right kidney. David was immediately referred to Dr Andrew Protheroe, a Medical Oncologist within the University Of Oxford Department Of Oncology at the Oxford Cancer and Haematology Centre.

Due to the advanced nature of the cancer, David was already very poorly and therefore not well enough to undergo surgery. Dr Protheroe suggested targeted therapy to treat the renal cell carcinoma and introduced us to a ‘new generation' of drug therapies that were revolutionising the treatment of advanced cancer providing a better quality and extended life.

David began the first course of the drug Sutent at the beginning of November 2013 and the impact was instant. He started to feel better and on the first follow-up appointment with Dr Protheroe the scan showed a reduction in the fluid and evidence that the tumour on the kidney was shrinking. The secondary tumours were also reducing.

It was such a relief and the news was so uplifting. Suddenly we were filled with hope. David continued to improve and led a normal life despite coping with some of the nasty side effects of the Sutent. David referred to the Sutent, of which he took one a day, as a Magic pill, and it certainly was in many ways.

Throughout his illness, David was so very, very positive and he was determined that the cancer would not beat him. He never complained or felt sorry for himself, he never said ‘why me’ and he got on with enjoying his life to the full. He made me feel very humble and so very proud.

In August 2015 when David had key-hole surgery to remove the kidney and the tumour his recovery was amazing and we felt that we had got over another great hurdle. Early indications showed that the other nodules had reduced and things were stable. David said that he felt better than he had felt in the last two years.

David continued to take the Sutent but during November 2015 he started to lose his appetite again and generally he felt unwell. We put it down to the effect of the Sutent, unaware that the drug had probably started to fail and that the cancer had become more aggressive.

Sadly, David never got the opportunity to move onto the 2nd level therapy, for as quickly as the Sutent started to work, equally when it started to fail it did so very quickly.

David lost his fight to this terrible disease on 23rd December 2015. I am still trying to make some sense of it all. This is why I have set up this page to honour David’s extraordinary bravery in the face of one of the cruellest illnesses and to support the vital work of the UCARE organisation in the research and education of kidney and other urological cancers. The treatment and care David received was first class and David had a great deal of respect and belief in the work of Dr Protheroe and the Oxford Oncology Team.

We will be forever grateful.

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