Hope Through a Difficult Diagnosis
- Minnesota student Shimia Nord, 17, started experiencing excruciating back pain in late 2022, but urgent care doctors initially chalked it up to a pulled muscle. It wound up being a rare type of kidney cancer renal cell carcinoma.
- According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), an estimated 81,800 people in the United States were diagnosed in 2023 with kidney cancer, a disease which can develop in both adults and children.
- When faced with a cancer battle it can be hard to focus on life outside of your disease. But it’s important to remember that your mental state can actually impact your success as a patient.
“I would throw up constantly,” Nord told TODAY.com. “I can barely stand, and then finally we’re like, something is seriously wrong.”
Read MoreA Delayed Diagnosis
The delay in diagnosis was due to imaging because the scans taken were “higher than where her kidneys were,” Hendrickson said. “They didn’t find anything … because (the images were) higher than where her kidneys were.”
After more tests they found the tumor and determined that it was stage 4.
Shimia, who had to have her kidney removed, is undergoing immunotherapy and chemotherapy, experiencing uncomfortable side effects such as headaches, nausea and constipation. Her surgery left her with a scar from her breastbone to her pubic bone that temporarily “immobilized” her.
“It’s like one pill after another just to make the other pill not seem so bad.”
Staying Resilient
Shimia, an avid dancer who was in the middle of a competitive dance season at school when her life was turned upside down, will have another scan in a few months to hopefully find that the masses on her lung are shrinking.
RELATED: Stay Positive, It Matters
Determined to keep living a full life, the resilient student, who recently danced again after her stepmom encouraged her to get out of bed and try, hopes to become a lawyer and is determined to graduate early.
Determination & Hope Despite Setbacks Prevail in ‘Climbing Blind’
Shimia credits the love from her family and friends to be helping her immensely as she juggles her cancer journey with her studies.
“I’ve always been lucky to have a supportive family,” she said. “Not everybody does.”
Learning About Kidney Cancer
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), an estimated 81,800 people in the United States were diagnosed in 2023 with kidney cancer, a disease which can develop in both adults and children.
“The main types of kidney cancer are renal cell cancer, transitional cell cancer, and Wilms tumor,” the institute explains, noting that some “inherited conditions” may increase a person’s risk of getting the disease.
Luckily, advancement in kidney cancer treatment has proven effective for people battling the disease.
New FDA-Approved Treatment Option for People Faced With Kidney Cancer – Advancements in Treatment
The institute states, “NCI-funded researchers are working to advance our understanding of how to detect and treat kidney cancer. Much progress has been made over the last few decades, especially in identifying genes that can drive the development of kidney cancer.
“This knowledge has led to more effective treatments. Today, about 75% of people with kidney cancer will be alive 5 years after diagnosis.”
RELATED: Clinical Trials for Kidney Cancer
As for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the disease Shimia is battling, it “is the most common malignant tumor of the kidney and constitutes over 90 percent of all renal malignancies.”
According to the NCI, the following types of treatment are used for someone battling renal cell carcinoma:
- Surgery
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Targeted therapy
- New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials
Staying Focused Like Shimia
Overcoming adversity like Shimia can seem daunting. The fact that she is continuing to focus on her studies and doing things she loves are monumental to overall survival and well-being.
SurvivorNet’s medical experts say incorporating the following steps into your health plan can help you make meaningful change.
- Set a goal. No matter what the situation, create a new goal for yourself. If you have just been diagnosed with cancer or a chronic illness, perhaps one goal would be to educate yourself about the disease and the possible treatments as much as possible.
- Make a plan. How will you achieve this goal? Your plan will help you focus on that goal. Dr. Siddhartha Ganguly refers to this determined, focused mindset as “the eye of the tiger,” which can help people dealing with health problems, such as renal cell carcinoma and other cancers. “You have to have the eye of the tiger to go through this grueling process that is necessary these days to get rid of these virulent and aggressive cancers,” Dr. Ganguly, a cancer specialist at Houston Methodist, told SurvivorNet.
- Rely on others. Spend time with people who show you unconditional support and encouragement. They will ease your stress and help you remember that you’re not alone in this!” Dr. Samantha Boardman, a psychiatrist and author, previously told SurvivorNet that one “coping strategy that can be productive is reaching out, talking to others. Having support we know is really critical in the healing process.”
- Use positive self-talk. Leave messages with affirmations in places you frequent. Put notes around your mirror or the computer screen that says “You got this!” or “Keep going!” Cut out inspirational quotes from people you admire and surround yourself with their words. Dr. Boardman explains to SurvivorNet that “Positive emotions have unique benefits above and beyond managing negative emotions.”
When faced with a cancer battle it can be hard to focus on life outside of your disease. But it’s important to remember that your mental state can actually impact your success as a patient.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.