Kidney Cancer Patient Stories

Becoming a grandfather was something I had been looking forward to for years. But just before I learned that my daughter-in-law was pregnant, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney cancer. I couldn’t bear the thought of getting to know my grandson and then not getting to be there to watch him grow up.

Louis Della Penna made an appointment at Fox Chase Cancer Center in 1994 because he was concerned about a chronic sore throat. It was the best decision he made since he learned shortly after that he had kidney cancer. Louis underwent surgery to remove the cancer from his kidney and surrounding tissue. Today he is cancer free and supports programs at Fox Chase, including two endowments he and his wife funded. "My feelings for Fox Chase are very strong," he said. "If you want to support something wonderful, there is no better place to give, no matter what your contribution. I am cancer free today, and I continue to return to Fox Chase for follow-up visits. It’s an amazing story."