If you know my brother Kade, you probably have a smile on your face thinking of a time that he told you a joke or pulled a prank on you! Maybe he said something funny and it made you laugh for a while. Yep, that sounds just like my little brother. Kade is still the jokester he's always been, but it gets a little harder each day as he battles Stage 4 Kidney Cancer. He is a gentle giant—kind, loving, and always willing to help others.

Kade was first diagnosed with Kidney Cancer in March of 2020. He had surgery in April of 2020 to remove the affected kidney at the U of U hospital with some of the best doctors around. He took a short amount of time off work, and he was back to work a couple of weeks later. The feeling of relief came when he was told he was cancer-free a short time later!

Fast forward to May 2024…

While trying to prepare for his son to leave on a Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the cancer returned with a vengeance—Stage 4 Renal Carcinoma. By the time doctors found it on a scan and performed a biopsy, the cancer had metastasized to the lymph nodes. In August, more tests confirmed that Kade's cancer is Recurring Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma. The latest biopsy revealed that the cancer has also spread to the liver in a very atypical way. Instead of one concentrated tumor, it is spread throughout diffusely (peppered). With this new information, physicians started Kade on targeted chemotherapy treatments. Since then, he has had a visit to the ER by ambulance and several visits with the doctor due to infections that even antibiotics can’t seem to cure. Unfortunately, with all of the chemo treatments, Kade’s body can’t heal properly.

This diagnosis has brought many unforeseen challenges—emotionally, financially, and physically. While Kade navigates the complexities of chemotherapy, he is still trying to provide for his family and support his son who is currently serving his mission in Brazil. Despite his circumstances, Kade’s spirit remains unbroken, and he continues to inspire everyone around him with his strength and resilience. He’s still making jokes and telling everyone he is fine, when in reality, he sometimes is not. The targeted chemotherapy treatments are making it hard for Kade to work full-time. His work has FMLA, but that means time off with no pay. He can take short-term disability, but unfortunately, that won’t pay the bills either. His wife, LaTressa, is currently working her day job and then attending school after work each day. I would really like to help them so Kade can take a few months off, if needed. The time off could give his body a better opportunity and chance at fighting back and would help ease the burden of worry in being able to support his family.

He really needs your help so he can fight this cancer and keep doing what he does best!

Kade has never been good at asking for help, even when it is needed—it runs in the family . So many of you have reached out and have offered your help, so we’re hoping this is a way you can. We are hoping to raise enough funds to help cover medical expenses, daily living costs, and to provide some stability for their family during this difficult time! Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a significant difference in their life and help alleviate some of this burden.

We truly want to thank you for caring enough to help Kade and his family during this difficult time!