Kidney Cancer Unfiltered

Nicole Scott's husband Keith was diagnosed with kidney cancer after what they thought was a routine ER visit. In this podcast with host Annamaria Scaccia, Nicole opens up about the loneliness of caregiving, leaning on her workplace and community for support, and the practical tools — from bedtime routines to reframing anxious thoughts — that helped her navigate life after diagnosis. Visit kidneycancer.org for more support and resources.

What does genetic testing actually tell you and your family? Genetic counselor Lindsey Byrne, MS, LGC has led the genitourinary cancer genetics clinic at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-James Cancer Hospital & Solove Research Institute since 2019. In our latest episode, she and host Annamaria Scaccia walk through what genetic testing can and can't tell patients, the key difference between a hereditary mutation and a tumor-only mutation, and how she helps families understand risk without spiraling into fear. Visit kidneycancer.org for more support and resources.

Julie Lykins cared for her husband through his kidney cancer journey, and now works as a hospice nurse with the same care team that supported her family. In this deeply personal conversation with host Annamaria Scaccia, Julie breaks down the real difference between palliative care and hospice, debunks the idea that hospice means "giving up," and shares what she calls the hardest and most healing parts of walking this road twice. Visit kidneycancer.org for more support and resources.

We begin season 6 of Kidney Cancer Unfiltered in conversation with host Annamaria Scaccia and two survivors. Lindsay Walker's diagnosis came out of nowhere during an unrelated MRI. Matt McClain's came after months of unexplained back pain. Both share how they found their footing and their community after the shock of a kidney cancer diagnosis.Visit kidneycancer.org for more support and resources.

We're closing out Season 5 of Kidney Cancer Unfiltered with a deep dive into Men’s Mental Health. Masculinity and cancer can be a complicated mix, but emotional well-being isn't a gendered concept, it’s a human one. Dennis Heffern, LCSW and Marc Olivares, MA, MS, LPC-S join host Annamaria Scaccia to break down:✨ Why "pushing through" can work against your healing✨ Using a "strengths-based approach" to find your way back up✨ How loved ones can better understand the unique way men express distressIf there is a man in your life who needs to hear this, send it to them! Visit kidneycancer.org for more support and resources.

Grief doesn't look the same for everyone. It shows up in waves, in silence, and sometimes, it becomes the force that moves you forward. This week on Kidney Cancer Unfiltered, host Annamaria Scaccia sits down with Ritchie Johnson, MBA, BSN, RN, President and Founder of the Chris “CJ” Johnson Foundation. After losing her son to Renal Medullary Carcinoma (RMC), Ritchie turned his legacy into a mission to dismantle the systemic barriers facing the RMC community. In this episode, we discuss:🧡 What it means to turn grief into advocacy🩺 The reality of RMC: a "wildfire" cancer that demands urgent, expert care🤝 Breaking down medical "silos" to ensure no patient is left behindThanks to Ritchie for sharing her powerful story. Visit kidneycancer.org for more support and resources.

There’s no playbook for facing fertility while navigating kidney cancer. 🧡 Survivor Janelle Moxley joins host Annamaria Scaccia to share her journey through IVF, recurrence, and the questions no one prepares you for... "I kind of wondered: cancer was hard on me, why can't pregnancy be easy? Why is that hard too?"A must-listen for anyone walking this road. Visit kidneycancer.org for more support and resources.

Caregiving is a marathon of the heart. On the latest Kidney Cancer Unfiltered, Sara Benitez, LCSW, OSW-C of Moffitt Cancer Center shares with host Annamaria Scaccia how to navigate the terrain, including:🎙️ Why "hard" conversations matter🎙️ Maintaining your identity🎙️ Resources for YOUVisit kidneycancer.org for more support and resources.

Cancer takes so much, but it shouldn’t take your sense of self or your right to intimacy. In our latest episode, "Sex After Cancer: Desire, Communication, and Self-Love," host Annamaria Scaccia is joined by the incredible Ebonie Michelle, MPH, Founder of Prowl The LAB. They dive into the vulnerability of navigating new physical sensations, the power of self-love, and why choosing yourself is the first step toward reclaiming your sexual wellness. This isn't just about a diagnosis; it’s about finding the strength to be your most authentic self in your relationships.Visit kidneycancer.org for more support and resources.