Health & Fitness
Toms River Couple Beats Rare Kidney Cancers with Robotic Surgery
High school sweethearts Colleen and Bryan Schultz both faced and recovered from a rare kidney cancer over a 4-year span.
This is a paid post contributed by a Patch Community Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own, and the information presented has not been verified by Patch.
A Cough Leads to a Rare Discovery: A Couple’s Extraordinary Journey Through Kidney Cancer
In early 2022, Colleen, an emergency room nurse, experienced a stubborn cough that lingered for six months. When treatments for allergies and acid reflux failed, a chest CT scan revealed a surprising culprit: a 7-centimeter mass reaching into her chest cavity. It was a stage 2 tumor on her right kidney.
Colleen, 46, was diagnosed with papillary type 2 renal cell carcinoma, a rare "non-clear cell" kidney cancer that accounts for just 10% to 15% of cases. She sought treatment with Mina M. Fam, M.D., medical director of urologic oncology at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center. Dr. Fam successfully removed her right kidney using advanced robotic surgery. Afterward, Colleen’s chronic cough and high blood pressure vanished, and her scans remained clear. Throughout the difficult journey, her husband, Bryan, stood faithfully by her side as her primary caregiver and greatest source of strength.
However, in an extraordinary turn of events, lightning struck twice. Four years later, Bryan, 47, noticed blood in his urine. A CT scan uncovered a 5-centimeter, stage 1 tumor on his left kidney. Incredibly, Bryan was diagnosed with chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, another highly rare non-clear cell kidney cancer making up only 5% of cases.
The couple knew exactly who to call. They immediately reached out to Dr. Fam, who brought them in that same afternoon. Transitioning from caregiver to patient carried a heavy emotional weight for Bryan, but returning to a doctor they completely trusted brought them immense comfort.
Dr. Fam performed a robotic partial nephrectomy, safely removing Bryan's tumor while preserving his kidney function. “It is statistically extraordinary to see a husband and wife both diagnosed with rare, non-clear cell kidney cancers years apart,” noted Dr. Fam. He described the experience as a unique, full-circle moment, emphasizing his goal of using minimally invasive techniques to cure uncommon diseases without sacrificing a patient's quality of life.
Through their remarkable story, the couple hopes to inspire others to advocate for their own health, pay close attention to unusual symptoms, and lean on faith and support systems. As Colleen reflects, "Cancer changed our lives, but it did not define them."
This post is an advertorial piece contributed by a Patch Community Partner, a local brand partner. To learn more, click here.
