When my brother, Herman, was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer in early 2012, my family and I were devastated. We felt hopeless, especially when we learned that his type of kidney cancer, renal medullary carcinoma, was incurable.

To learn that a loved one may not be with you much longer creates a form of pain I can’t describe. The feeling takes over every aspect of your life. It’s crippling. With each month that passed and...