Age at Diagnosis: 44
Current Status: Stable disease (spots remain on scans but are not growing)

An Unexpected Discovery

Graham never expected to hear the words “you have kidney cancer.”

After struggling with a sore hip for about a year, he was finally sent to a specialist. A CT and MRI were ordered to figure out what was going on with his hip — and that’s when doctors discovered cancer.

“It was like having a piano dropped on my head, I was dazed for weeks.”

Further testing revealed the full picture: stage 4 kidney cancer that had spread to his hip and lungs.

Facing Stage 4 Kidney Cancer

The medical team decided the first step was surgery to remove part of Graham’s femur and hip where the cancer had spread.

While recovering from that operation, he met with the oncology team and learned the official diagnosis: kidney cancer, stage 4, with lung metastases.

To help clear the area around his hip, Graham underwent radiation on the surgical site to “blast” any remaining cancer cells.

A Tough Treatment Road

From there, Graham started systemic therapy with cabozantinib and nivolumab.

The treatments came with a host of side effects, but he stayed determined to fight through them. Scans soon showed something encouraging: the tumors were shrinking.

Nearly a year into treatment, his team began discussing the possibility of a nephrectomy (removal of the kidney with the primary tumor). About 12 months later, Graham left the hospital after a successful nephrectomy — and scans showed only a few small lesions remaining in his lungs, with everything looking stable.

“It’s been a tough long year, but hearing the treatment is working makes everything I’ve gone through totally worth it.”

Life Outside of Cancer

Graham works as a student accommodation officer, running a building full of students — a role that keeps him engaged and connected to daily life.

Looking ahead, his goals are simple but powerful:

Get back to regularly riding his bike
Return to the gym
Spend as much time as possible with his family

The People Who Helped Him Through

Graham credits his wife Nikki and his child Chloe as the core of his support system. Friends and extended family have also played a vital role in helping him get to where he is today.