James, United States

I was diagnosed stage 4 kidney cancer 5 years ago and when I was diagnosed that day in the oncologist office, my oncologist was explaining the ct scan and my news and I looked over at my wife and she had tears going down her face from the news of my cancer and she is a retired 30 registered nurse and seen a lot of cancer,  that day I asked god why me? I didn’t get a answer, I said to myself that I would defeat cancer even before any chemotherapy was taken, I felt confident that I was going to be healed, my oncologist didn’t give me much hope for survival past one year.  I’m stable now with chemotherapy and immunotherapy, I have good days and bad days but mostly good, aches and pains and nausea mostly and that is controlled with medication.  What I really want to discuss is the financial toxicity and cost having cancer and the burden , it is mentally a struggle every month and there is no medication to help with the financial burden of having and fighting cancer.  I want to give others with stage 4 cancer advice: always be expecting good news from any treatment medications and scans and bloodwork and surgery because my faith is strong and I believe in gods healing for you, never give up, get positive influences from family and friends and care team to push forward and defeat cancer, never lose hope but succeed fighting as a warrior.

Best wishes,

James parent