The Outdoors Nurtured Dylan Through Kidney Cancer

This is a guest post by Dylan Wisman, 28, of Winchester, VA.

My name is Dylan Wisman, and in November 2023, my life changed forever. I was 27 and back in Missouri for an alumni wrestling weekend — but just as importantly, I was out deer hunting, chasing another elusive Missouri wall hanger. That Friday morning, out in the woods and more than half a mile from my car, I noticed blood in my urine and started experiencing intense side pain. Thirty minutes from the nearest urgent care, I tried to convince myself it wasn’t serious. After all, I had just been hiking through Olympic National Park, Mount Rainier, and the North Cascades a few weeks earlier. I felt strong and healthy.

A couple of weeks later, back home in Virginia, I was diagnosed with stage 3 kidney cancer. Genetic testing revealed I have HLRCC (Hereditary Leiomyomatosis and Renal Cell Cancer), a rare genetic condition that increases the risk of developing aggressive kidney cancer. At 27 years old, I didn’t fully understand what any of it meant — only that I suddenly had cancer, and it was serious.

In February, doctors removed my kidney. I’m no stranger to surgery and recovery — my college wrestling career was built around pushing through injuries. But this was different. After surgery, they told me they found a tumor on my vena cava, the main vein leading to the heart. It was inoperable. We regrouped, did full-body scans, and in May, I got the news no one wants to hear: the cancer had spread. My stage 3 diagnosis had turned to stage 4. It was now in my lungs, liver, spleen, pelvis, spine, shoulder — and a large mass had grown near where my kidney had been.

Treatment began, and it got worse before it got better. In those darkest moments, I turned to the only therapy I knew: nature.

Whenever I could, I dragged myself outside — into the woods, onto the water, or just preparing for the next hunting season. Nature has always been my escape. Hunting, fishing, hiking — those moments have shaped me. There’s a peace, a purpose, and a camaraderie that comes with being outdoors. You have to experience it to really understand it. For me, it’s always been where I feel most alive.

That connection is what inspired me to start The Outdoorsman Fellowship, a nonprofit dedicated to spreading awareness, promoting genetic testing, and funding kidney cancer research. But even more than that, it’s about reminding people — especially those going through their own battles — that nature is God’s greatest creation, and we all have access to its healing power in one form or another.

Yes, this story is about me, but the mission is bigger. I want to advocate for others going through tough times and remind them they’re not alone.

What I’ve Learned

If you’re going through something similar, here’s what I want you to know:

• Find joy. Smile, do what makes you happy, and surround yourself with things that bring you peace. Your mindset is more powerful than any treatment.
• Be your own advocate. Don’t wait for someone else to fight for you. Ask questions, speak up, and make sure you’re being heard.
• Never give up. Cancer is just another obstacle — and obstacles are meant to be overcome.
• You are not alone. There are people who care and want to help. Let them in.
• Stay on top of your health. Even if you feel fine, make those yearly checkups a priority. If something feels off, get it checked out.

This journey has opened my eyes and changed the way I see life, strength, and community. If you’re in your own fight, know this — you don’t have to do it alone.