Philemon’s Battle Against Kidney Cancer
Philemon grew up as a fun-loving, free-spirited boy who loved riding his bicycle, playing football and watching movies.
Sadly, Philemon’s journey with kidney cancer started when he was just five years old, in middle class at nursery school. His mother, Betty, noticed that his stomach was abnormally swollen and painful. Soon after, his urine became bloody, and he began wasting away quickly.
After months of frequent visits to peripheral health units in Uganda, there was no improvement despite several medications he was given. During one of the visits, doctors performed a CT scan, which showed a mass on the right kidney. Philemon’s mother was informed that the Ugandan health unit could not treat his condition, and she was referred to a private hospital in Kampala.
Doctors at the private hospital recommended surgery, but it was unaffordable. Philemon was then discharged and referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH), and finally to the Global HOPE Paediatric Haematology Oncology Unit at MNRH. There, most services are free thanks to support from Global HOPE partners, including Lions Clubs International Foundation.
After testing, Philemon was diagnosed with Stage IV Wilms tumor (kidney cancer) with lung metastases. This was devastating news for his mother.
In addition to the cancer diagnosis, Philemon was severely malnourished, with hypertension, and his heart function was compromised due to hypertensive cardiomyopathy with severe systolic dysfunction. He was promptly started on anticancer medications and related therapy.
Initially, Philemon’s tumor responded poorly to treatment, and his heart function deteriorated further, delaying surgery. He required more intense chemotherapy, along with frequent, prolonged hospital stays. The additional treatments also caused severe side effects.
Beyond the medical challenges, the family was also dealing with deep personal hardship. Philemon’s father abandoned the family upon learning of his son’s cancer diagnosis. Because of the long periods in the hospital with her son — almost a full year — Philemon’s mother, his primary caregiver, lost her job as a teacher. Philemon was also not able to return to school and fell behind in his studies.
Despite these challenges, Philemon eventually underwent surgery to remove the tumor, followed by radiotherapy. He completed treatment in February 2023, and, against all odds, remains disease-free almost three years later. He is now nine years old and in his third year of primary school.
Betty shared her deep gratitude, saying, “Without the support we received, we would not have reached this far. Chemotherapy drugs are very expensive, and as a family, we could not have managed on our own, especially after I lost my government job during this period. I sincerely thank Mulago National Referral Hospital and the Global HOPE team for their care and compassion, and I especially thank Lions Clubs International Foundation, who, through the partnership, ensured that we received safely prepared chemotherapy that helped save my child’s life. I also thank the local Lions club, who supported me with essential needs like food supplies, soap and other items that made the journey more bearable.”
She also added, “I encourage other families and patients still on this journey not to give up. Stay the course. My journey seemed hopeless, but my child is still alive. The support I received helped me through it all — you can get through this, too.”
Photo caption: Philemon (center) with his mother, Betty Murungi, and Dr. Agatha Mukama, one of his Global HOPE supported physicians
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