“Guess what, Jim? You have some urine in your blood.”
My name is James Randolph Scott, Jr. (aka Jim), a native of Keyser, West Virginia. This is my story about finding my new normal, while keeping my faith, packing my patience, and keeping a sense of humor. I am a bladder cancer survivor. I am also a person who walked
Alice’s Story: Be Positive About Your Diagnosis
It was summer of 2018, one night in late July, about two o’clock in the morning. I woke up with this horrific pain in my back on my right side, but I did not think too much of it. Maybe I slept wrong. So, I turned over hoping it would
Dave’s Story: My Journey With Bladder Cancer
This article is for those who are about to embark on this journey, or those working with patients dealing with bladder cancer. Why read it? Simple. Knowledge is power. In this case, knowing what may lie ahead when your body has become the home for cancer cells is important. Hopefully,
Wendy’s Story: My Dad Was the Sun and the Moon and the Stars
My dad, Simon Lowy, was born July 3, 1929, in the Bronx, NY, to Helen and David Lowy. He had one brother. My dad played ball on the streets—stick ball—they used the sewer tops as the bases. My dad had many friends growing up. When he was older, his family
Annmarie’s Story: I don’t have a bag, I have a prosthetic bladder
I am a schoolteacher at a high school in Mashpee, Massachusetts. I started to have symptoms in May 2018. I was at school and I got a sharp pain in my kidney area and I thought, “Oh, kidney stones.” I knew something wasn’t right. I’m not one that runs to
Burt’s Story: When I heard the words “You have bladder cancer,” it was a gut punch
I am a nephrologist and have been practicing medicine since 1976, so I look at my bladder cancer journey somewhat differently than others might. I was having some difficulty urinating and in the process of having my prostate looked at, my doctor came out afterwards and said, “Oh, by the
Jill’s Story – Diagnosed at 34
I was diagnosed with stage IV bladder cancer in April 0f 2012. I was 34 years old. I had been in and out of the hospital prior to that because I could not urinate. As it turned out, I had tumors wrapped around part of my bladder. When the doctor
Kimberly’s Story About Her Dad
My father was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2012, just days after his 58th birthday. He lost his mother to the disease years before I was born. Right after his diagnosis, I remember telling myself, “There have been so many strides in cancer treatments over the past thirty years. Surely
Brenda and Jerry
Tell us about your husband’s journey. My husband, Jerry, was asymptomatic. One day, his urine looked like pure blood. And was bright red. At the time, we thought it might be a bad kidney infection. The doctors ran tests, a CT scan. They told him he had a spot on
Toni Stefani- A Firefighter’s Fight
Retired firefighter Captain Tony Stefani started with the San Francisco Fire Department in 1974. The 28-year veteran retired as the Captain of Rescue 1 in 2003. After being diagnosed with transitional cell carcinoma in 2001, he founded the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation and now serves as its President.
Surfing with Ron
I was diagnosed on August 31, 2010. I had biopsy surgery on September 17, 2010 and a cancerous tumor was discovered and removed. On October 29, 2010 (five days after my 61st birthday), I had a radical cystectomy and neobladder surgery. I was able to surf again three months later,
Dancing Her Way through Bladder Cancer – Anne Doesn’t Miss a Beat
New Hampshire native, Anne Theriault now lives in Maryland. Anne spent many years in non-traditional careers with the US Army and in the Bureau of Prisons. She deployed four times to combat zones. Anne began taking up ballroom dancing after a challenging combat tour in Iraq. “I just did it
Jill Fights for a Normal Life
Bladder cancer can be a sneaky disease. Sometimes you have very few symptoms until things hit a critical mass. For me, that happened in the form of a suspected urinary tract infection (UTI). I’ve had UTI’s my whole adult life, so the latest one in summer of 2012 didn’t seem
Matthew’s Bladder Cancer Journey
2016 was the scariest year of my life. I urinated blood around Christmas in 2015, and a CAT scan in February 2016 found a tumor. I had a cystectomy on April 1 and the results were determined to be an aggressive cancer. Next, was another cystectomy which saved me from
Brenda’s Road to Cancer Freedom
In December 2001, my life changed when I was diagnosed with bladder cancer. In the summer of 2001, I noticed urinary changes that I attributed to turning 48 years old. Continency and frequency became issues and my urine turned cloudy with a tinge of darkish red from time to time.
Clinical trial patients…are never forgotten.
BCAN asked Dr. Andrea Apolo, Chief of the Bladder Cancer Section of the Genitourinary Malignancies Branch of the National Cancer Institute, what researchers learn from bladder cancer patients who do not survive in a clinical trial. This is what she shared with us: Mr. Z. was enthusiastic about participating in the clinical
Rick’s Neobladder Story
Like others, I had symptoms without a bladder cancer diagnosis for some time – urgency and frequency for eighteen months. I had discussed both with my physician after about nine months. He said that I was getting old (I was only 48!) and my father had prostate cancer. Knowing that
Couple Roger & Karen – both battle the disease
Karen and Roger live and work in the Washington, DC metro area. Karen’s bladder cancer diagnosis came in 2010; Roger’s in 2016. Before that, they were both blessed with good health and have always been very busy with family and friends. They raised two sons and had always enjoyed intimate