“Show Your Kidneys Some Love”: A Stand-Up Comedy for Prevention

June 19 is World Kidney Cancer Day 2025, the day dedicated worldwide to raising awareness of kidney cancer. And this year the message on the importance of prevention is entrusted to a stand-up comedian and actress, Laura Formenti . Who makes you laugh but also think about how to take care of these small organs, no less important than all the others.

The message

In his sketch lasting just over two minutes, Formenti interprets the slogan of the global campaign “Show your kidneys some love”, which in Italy is launched by the National Association of Kidney Cancer (Anture) and Ipsen. “Informing is one of the priorities of our association. Unfortunately, kidney cancer is still little known, and this is why we believe it is essential to raise awareness among the general public, explaining the main risk factors and promoting the importance of listening to your body - says Tonia Cinquegrana , president of Anture - To get closer to the greatest number of people, this year we have chosen a light tone that does not diminish the message, but on the contrary makes it more accessible, understandable and not alarming”.

World Day

Created by the International Kidney Cancer Coalition (Ikcc) - an independent network of patient associations from 45 countries, in which the Italian association Anture plays a key role - World Kidney Cancer Day is celebrated every year on the third Thursday of June, and represents an important opportunity for global mobilization involving patients, caregivers, healthcare workers, institutions and companies. "For us at Anture - Cinquegrana continues - this day is a further opportunity to join forces with all those who face this neoplasm every day and are committed to improving the condition of patients.

Survival on the rise

In 2024, over 13,000 new cases were estimated in Italy, and approximately 154,800 people are living after diagnosis, with a 5-year survival rate of 71% for both sexes. “The survival of patients with renal cell carcinoma is constantly increasing,” recalls Giuseppe Procopio , director of the Prostate Program and the Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology at the Fondazione Irccs Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Milan. “Compared to the 1990s, the 2000s saw an absolute increase in survival of 11 percentage points in Italy: this is one of the most significant results, largely due to the introduction of innovative therapies for the advanced stage of the disease, which have arrived in recent decades.”

Knowing the risk factors

Among the main recognized risk factors are cigarette smoking, hypertension, obesity and professional exposure to environmental carcinogens such as ionizing radiation. Once again, therefore, it is essential to adopt a healthy lifestyle and listen to the signals of your body, without ever neglecting the importance of the kidneys, underlines the expert.

The campaign

The campaign video will also be available on Comedy Central's YouTube channel and on Pluto TV until June 21, while it will remain on Ipsen and Anture's websites and social channels. "Since the first editions of International Kidney Cancer Day, Ipsen and Anture have joined forces to raise the level of attention on this disease which, in its initial stages, is often silent," concludes Patrizia Olivari , president and CEO of Ipsen SpA. "We have been saying it for years and we repeat it with conviction today: talking about it is the first step to increasing awareness. The great steps forward, made thanks to the innovations brought about by tireless scientific research, translate into years of life gained."