Krissy Henstredge spent 10 years being told her chronic back pain was linked to her weight and existing health conditions. The 40-year-old from Portsmouth had lived with IBS, Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), Bell's palsy, and ongoing hip pain from a 2009 car accident.
When she developed a 'stitch-like' pain on her left side a few years ago, she initially lived with it. By 2024, she visited her doctor, who suggested physiotherapy. Despite MRIs showing no hip issues, the pain persisted.
Warning signs dismissed
Krissy returned to her GP, who suspected the pain was linked to her hip condition or weight. 'I think women get ignored a lot, especially if you're a little bit on the heavier side,' she said.
In August 2025, she was struck by sudden excruciating back pain while working from home in Portsmouth. Her physio urged her to go to A&E, where an MRI revealed two bulging discs in her spine – and 'a mass on my kidney'.
Diagnosis and surgery
A follow-up CT scan confirmed stage 3 clear cell renal cell carcinoma, an aggressive kidney cancer. 'To be told over the phone was horrible,' Krissy recalled. She underwent surgery last September to remove her kidney, which was successful, but complications followed – including nerve damage on her left side.
She has been receiving immunotherapy every six weeks since December 2025, with only a 5% chance of preventing recurrence. 'But in my brain, that's better than zero,' she said.
Support and outlook
Krissy's support network – her mum, dad, brothers, and friends Kerry and Dan – have been 'fantastic'. She is waiting for results from her three-month check-up scan. Her goal is a holiday in Greece: 'I want a nice red wine somewhere, sitting on a taverna.'
Hazel Jackson, Healthcare Professional Lead Nurse at Kidney Cancer UK, commented: 'Kidney cancer is often referred to as a “silent” disease because many of its early symptoms can easily be mistaken for more common conditions like musculoskeletal issues.'
