Research is the key to finding a cure for kidney cancer; however, with so many questions left to answer, where do we start? Andy’s foremost questions were: “why did my cancer lay dormant for 11 years before coming back?” and “why do some treatments work for some people but not others?”. The Andy Derr Foundation is dedicated to working with local hospitals and research institutions to aid in funding current and future research opportunities in kidney cancer.

Andy recognized that, as a patient, he should be fully engaged in his journey with cancer and the driver of all decisions. He believed in partnering with his care team to choose the best treatment option for him, encouraging individualization of his care based upon his body, his needs, and his goals. One of the best ways to engage patients is to connect them together, sharing their experiences. Our goal is to promote patient engagement and support local institutions in their patient engagement programs and endeavors.

Although research may help answer key questions to cancer development and treatment options, disseminating that information to patients remains a challenge. New findings are published in scientific papers behind paywalls and conferences are limited to medical professionals or have such a high cost that going as a patient or caregiver is simply not feasible. There are some national programs that help translate this information for patients (such as Andy’s experience at ASCO); however, these are usually only held yearly.. Our goal is to support local efforts to educate patients and their caregivers in the latest research findings and treatment options in a patient-friendly manner.

Much of the available peer support for patients is focused on the emotional and spiritual aspects of their journey, leaving the treatment discussions to the patient-doctor relationship. Andy found that throughout his treatment, he yearned to connect with patients and hear their stories, explore treatment options offered to them, and compare therapy side effects. He searched online avenues where he could talk to other patients, but felt that face-to-face interactions and local recommendations were lacking. The Andy Derr Foundation is committed to making kidney cancer patient advocacy a higher priority and supports local hospitals in development and sustainability of patient advocacy programs.