Chris Weight, a Kidney Cancer Surgeon at the University of Minnesota, climbed for Richard Welshons and Wanda Bogatzki

Chris is one of the founders of Team8 Climb 4 Kidney Cancer.  He helps to teach and research the connection between wellness and cancer prevention.  He is passionate about telling the stories of those affected by cancer and encouraging everyone to live a better, fuller life.  He is the father of 5 children and has one amazing, understanding wife who tolerates his mountain climbing expeditions around the world because she knows it is for a good cause.

Richard Welshons was diagnosed with leg pain.  After getting some x-rays, he was found to have metastatic kidney cancer to his leg.  He underwent surgery and radiation for this, then underwent surgery for his kidney mass which had a tumor thrombus into the renal vein.  He is not on systemic therapy and everything is shrinking to stable except for a growing mass in the left adrenal gland.  He is scheduled to undergo laparoscopic adrenalectomy in April.

Chris also climbed in honor of Wanda Bogatzki, who passed away in the days just before we left for Mexico to climb for her.  Wanda’s tumor was very unusual because it was metastatic before it showed up on imaging.  She had pain, and imaging showed the kidney was not draining properly, but there was no clear cause of this noted.  She underwent several tests and biopsies and all of these failed to show  cancer.  She underwent an exploratory surgery and was found to have cancer that had spread and was locally advanced.  Her cancer was aggressive and within a short while it had spread through out her body.  The cancer didn’t respond well to chemotherapy.  She is survived by her husband Wayne.