I'm a recent kidney cancer survivor after a 10cm tumour was discovered on my left kidney via a CT scan in December 2022 when aged 55. I'd also only just joined a new employer in October of that year in a 'work from home' role, so I was still on work probation at the time. The CT scan was initiated 2 weeks previously after being referred by my GP to our local Hospital's Urology Department for a flexible cystoscopy procedure, which revealed nothing. In the preceding weeks I’d noticed an occurrence of blood in my pee which led to me arranging a GP appointment. The understandable shock of the final diagnosis and overall feeling of numbness and wondering if I'd just been served a death sentence was eased slightly by the allocated MacMillan Nurse directly after I received news of the tumour. In another room, she caringly described next steps and timings for the 'journey' and 'pathway' that I was now on, which was that I'd been referred onwards to London's Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead. She also handed me an information pack with multiple booklets and pamphlets to read in my own time. When I got back to the parked car before the drive home, I flicked through the various items in the pack, and several contained the words 'Kidney Cancer' boldly in their titles. It was then that tears began to roll down my cheeks and onto the pamphlets and I decided just to let the emotion go for a bit, to get it out of my system, as once back home I'd have my wife and 2 young adult aged children to think about. I'd been going to these appointments on my own, more out of naivety, rather than denial, as we’re both happy go lucky types of people. I cleared my throat, wiped away the tears on the backs of my hands and decided to read some information from the pack. The one I settled on was a booklet created by the Kidney Cancer UK charity about understanding kidney cancer surgery and recovery. In there I noticed straight away there was a support line and some Facebook groups. I joined the Facebook Kidney Cancer UK Support Group there and then via my mobile phone which was the beginning of my relationship with this small, but invaluable charity.

I was contacted by the Royal Free the next week, invited in for a consultation the week after (with my wife for support this time who by this time also knew) and had it explained to us that they had a surgery slot available the next week if I wanted it, which we jumped at. That consultation with the surgical team also helped lift the sense of doom we’d been under for the 3 weeks since being told of the tumour, and it quickly turned to a sense of relief that the procedure was well established, and any follow-on treatment felt necessary afterwards could stand a good chance of a positive outcome with life returning very close to how it was. The surgical procedure is considered ‘major surgery’ for robot assisted keyhole surgery to remove my left kidney with tumour intact which takes about 4 hours, and the stay in hospital would be for just 2 nights, then discharged on Christmas Eve under strict instructions to rest and allow the body to recover gently over the next few weeks, which I duly obliged.

The tumour was tested in January and proven to be a type considered in the high-risk range of spreading elsewhere, so I accepted the offer of a years’ worth of immunotherapy to give the best chance (but not a guarantee) of it not coming back. Before all this had ever been known, we’d previously booked a trip of a lifetime cruise in the Far East for late February, so it was agreed to delay start of my immuno until we returned, which also gave me time to build up strength which I did by daily long walks at pace. At the time of writing, I'm well into the second half of that immunotherapy in early 2024 which is administered every 3 weeks via intravenous drip. The side effects can vary from patient to patient in both type and severity and some don't notice any at all. I feel I'm somewhere in the middle with the main ones being fatigue, brain fog and numb fingers, but I'm still able to work full time. My new employer has been so very understanding and supportive for which I’m so grateful. The Kidney Cancer UK Facebook group has some members who are not so lucky with their employers if diagnosed shortly after joining like happened to me, or their role makes it difficult to continue doing what they did if it was more physical than my job, or they're in a small team or small business.

So, now that I’m back to my positive self in my mind, I’m embracing the extra life I feel I’ve been given. Once I’m back to some level of fitness after the Immuno has completed and the fatigue has subsided, I’ll be ready to give something back. In order to help raise awareness of Kidney Cancer in general and much needed funds for the Kidney Cancer UK charity, I have enlisted the support of some close friends (namely Steve Rickards, Lee Coles, Andy Coxall, Jim Brown, Daren Coles and Nick Bird) and family that will join me on a very long walk from my home town in Harlow, Essex to the London HQ building of my employer CGI, which is at the affectionately known Walkie-Talkie building (due it's likeness in shape). The distance is approximately 23 miles (just under 40 km), and we aim to complete it in just one day, which we estimate to be under 10 hours.

Kidney Cancer UK has been a great source of information and support for me since the day of my initial diagnosis via their information booklet, the ongoing membership of their Facebook group and website (https://www.kcuk.org.uk/) which contains a wealth of information and guidance. I'm aware all those resources require constant need of review to remain current and up to date with the latest advancements in kidney cancer related information. They also offer additional services which I didn’t feel the need to use but others have very much needed to, such as a Support Line, Counselling and much more, all of which continually needs funds to keep providing their magnificent support to kidney cancer sufferers and their families.

I'd love your help to support them by way of a donation for the endeavour we're planning to endure. Thank you in anticipation for your support.

Yours gratefully, Alan (newly qualified kidney cancer warrior).

From the charity, 'Kidney Cancer UK is the UK’s leading specialist kidney cancer charity here to listen, inform & support kidney cancer patients carers and their families.

Amongst the many things we do the vital funds raised by your generous fundraising events go towards raising awareness of the disease, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis, and supporting research into of a disease that sees over 12,500 diagnoses every year and almost 5,000 people lose their lives.'

Website: Kidney Cancer UK - https://www.kcuk.org.uk/