My journey with kidney cancer, Catherine McFarlane

Through the course of my work, I come across people every day who have health challenges related to their kidneys. I am an accredited practicing dietitian and PhD scholar who works with patients who have chronic kidney disease.

In July 2016, aged 38, I went from juggling the roles of wife, mother, daughter, sister and dietitian to someone who could add cancer to the list of their daily juggles and struggles.

Within weeks of relocating our family of three children and two miniature schnauzers to the Sunshine Coast, a right kidney mass was incidentally detected on routine ultrasound.

I waited fewer than five days to see a wonderful health professional: urologist Dr Greg Malone. In the short time I waited for advice and a management plan, I grappled with the fear and anxiety of the unknown. Dr Malone confirmed published statistics that more than 80 per cent of solid kidney masses are malignant tumours. Some of the imaging findings favoured a benign lesion and we were extremely hopeful this was the case. The only way to differentiate between benign and malignant tumours was either by biopsy or surgical resection. I elected to undergo surgical resection.

I cannot describe the fear and anxiety I experienced in the three weeks awaiting surgery. I was terrified. Overwhelmingly, I feared for my future and that of my husband and children.

Somehow, despite fearing a diagnosis of cancer, fearing the unknown, fearing the surgery itself, and fearing post-operative pain, I made it to the day of surgery. It went smoothly and I recovered well. Unfortunately, the pathology results confirmed the tumour was a renal cell carcinoma. I am, however, very fortunate it was detected early and was small enough that a partial nephrectomy was undertaken. This provides me with the best chance of maintaining normal renal function while removing the cancer in its entirety. So far so good. I have had my first round of surveillance scans and my second are looming. I hope the fear in the lead up to these appointments diminishes with time, as I know there are plenty more ahead.

I had never really considered that I would have any significant health conditions. I have always tried to maintain a reasonable level of health and fitness. I really enjoy running and had completed my second half marathon only three weeks before the tumour was found. I was certainly not expecting a cancer diagnosis.