Man's Fight for Treatment
- When Steve Pointon faced a kidney cancer recurrence, he told his boss that he needed to cut back on his work hours to focus on treatment. His boss told him he couldn’t miss weekends and to “grow up” and “not be a baby.” After resigning from his job, Pointon took his employer to court and was awarded a huge settlement.
- Kidney cancer, also called "renal cancer,” is a cancer that originates in the kidney and can spread to other parts of the body. Treatment paths can depend on the stage of the disease.
- When facing cancer treatment, a support system is a critical role in the journey.
Pointon was diagnosed with kidney cancer in August 2016, and needed to focus on necessary treatment. He disclosed his diagnosis to his boss Ken Lawton and shared that he would be unable to work for the next few weeks in order to go through surgery and recovery. He went into remission for two years, but unfortunately the disease returned in 2018 and the prognosis did not look good. He shared news of the relapse with Lawton, and told him that he would need some time off, especially during weekends, in order to go through yet another round of treatment. Sadly, his boss did not give the support Pointon desperately needed in that moment.
Read MoreCancer survivor Jill Kargman on why support makes a huge difference in the treatment process
Kidney Cancer: A Breakdown
Kidney cancer, also called "renal cancer,” is a cancer that originates in the kidney and can spread to other parts of the body, too. Depending on the stage of the cancer at the diagnosis, your doctor will outline the best treatment path for your specific situation. The most common treatment options typically include:
- Surgery
- Ablation and Other Local Therapy
- Active Surveillance
- Radiation Therapy
- Targeted Therapy
- Immunotherapy
- Chemotherapy
Kidney cancer is one of the ten most common cancers in both men and women. This year, approximately 76,080 new cases of kidney cancer (48,780 in men and 27,300 in women) will be diagnosed in the U.S., says the ACS. The majority of people diagnosed with kidney cancer are older. The average age of diagnosis is 64-years-old, and the disease is uncommon in anyone under 45.
Support Makes a Difference
It goes without saying that Lawton wasn’t the support system that Pointon needed in that moment, and it teaches an important lesson in how valuable a true support system can be. Supporting someone you care about when they're going through a cancer journey, or recovering from one, can come in any shape or size. All that matters is that they know that you're right by their side.
Ovarian cancer survivor Robyn Smith managed to find an incredible support system through her church. When she moved to Denver, Smith didn't know many people and her work required her to travel often. So, when she was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer, she didn't have much of a support system to help her through treatment and even says some of her "close friends" started distancing themselves away from her after the diagnosis. Smith kept quiet about her disease from her church, but after sharing her diagnosis with her friend who was visiting, the friend informed Smith's pastor that she needed support.
Related: Man Walks Out On Wife After Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis; Know Your REAL Support System
The pastor then rallied volunteers to help Smith during her treatment, whether it was bringing her home cooked meals or just keeping her company. Smith says the pastor and church volunteer's support was never something she'd ever ask for herself, but it turned out to be a life-saver. "To have somebody bring me food that's made with love and amazing does make a huge difference," Smith told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "It's amazing how things turn and what you need you actually get."
Ovarian cancer survivor Robyn Smith shares how support helped her fight through treatment
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