At Global Voices in Renal Oncology (VIRO) 2025, organized by OncoDaily, Cancer Survivor Sid Sadler delivered a talk on “The Fight and the Role of Advocacy.”
Sadler, a 34-year-old kidney cancer survivor and communications professional from Nashville, Tennessee, shared his personal journey from diagnosis to advocacy. He detailed his initial experience with kidney cancer, including the discovery of a 10.5 cm tumor on his left kidney after presenting with hematuria, and his subsequent robotic left radical nephrectomy. Diagnosed with stage 2B, grade 2 clear cell renal carcinoma, Sadler is currently on active surveillance, with recent scans confirming no recurrence.
Drawing on his professional background in communications and social media, Sadler highlighted the multifaceted role of advocacy, emphasizing storytelling, amplifying patient voices, mobilizing communities, and listening to both patients and caregivers. He described advocacy across three levels: personal, community, and systemic, underscoring how patient involvement can drive awareness, improve access to care, influence funding, and ultimately save lives.
Sadler also detailed practical tools for advocacy, including partnerships with organizations such as the Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) and KC Cure, digital advocacy via social media, and policy engagement to influence cancer research funding. He shared his own initiative, the Instagram page The Unremarkable Kidney, which reached 10,000 people in one month, connecting patients, caregivers, and clinicians and fostering patient-centered support networks.
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