Please help Steven and his family with his fight against Stage 4 clear cell renal carcinoma and their lives with HLRCC.

Shortly after this picture was taken, Steven discovered a lump under his arm. Steven is a busy guy, a husband, a dad of three and a dedicated employee who works 50-60 hours a week. At first he assumed the lump was a swollen lymph node from a recent cold. He didn't mention it to his wife, Devon, because she is a critical care nurse and he knew she would send him straight to the doctor. When it didn't go away, he relented and went to his primary care doctor. Just a short time later he was told the lump was a tumor from metastatic kidney cancer. Not long after that, came the news that he has stage 4 clear cell renal carcinoma.

Steven needs a radical nephrectomy that he must travel 3 hours from his home to get, and he will be hospitalized for several days. This surgery alone will cost upwards of $70,000. After a brief recovery time, he will begin immunotherapy. The surgery was scheduled for the middle of June but while waiting, Steven began having alarming symptoms. He is now awaiting a brain scan, the results of which could change the course of his treatment.

Because Steven is young, only 36, and he has always been healthy, his oncologist recommended genetic testing. Steven was told he has a rare genetic condition called HLRCC that is the cause of this cancer. While the family was reeling from this news, they were dealt another devastating blow. Since this condition is autosomal dominant, it means that his three children have a 50% chance of inheriting HLRCC. Steven has a little boy and twin girls. If they test positive, they will need monitoring starting at age 8 and continuing for the remainder of their lives. HLRCC can cause cancer, skin lesions, and, in females, uterine fibroids which often lead to sterility.

The medical expenses for Steven and his family have just begun, and may continue for many, many years. What ever help you can offer, be it monetary, emotional, or spiritual support, would be immensely appreciated.