Bruce's updates
Contact Us

Bruce Lindner’s story doesn’t end with his diagnosis.

Following a kidney cancer diagnosis, Bruce has written his story to spark conversations and support research that gives more people the chance to live life without fear of cancer.

Donate now

You can help turn Bruce’s story into a future without fear of cancer.

Bruce Lindner is a former AFL footballer, author and respected sportsman. Across a career spanning West Adelaide, Geelong and Adelaide, he became one of Australia’s first professional footballers and established himself as one of the game’s leading players before later representing Australia in senior golf.

Following a kidney cancer diagnosis, Bruce chose to share his story publicly to help spark conversations about cancer, resilience and the importance of research.

Through his partnership with ANZUP, he hopes his experiences will encourage others to support the research that gives more people the opportunity to live life without fear of cancer.

About the book

Time On in the Last is Bruce Lindner’s first book.

Written for his daughter, Sophie, it is Bruce’s legacy, a collection of stories, memories and reflections that capture not only the milestones of his life, but the values, lessons and hopes he wishes to leave behind.

Filled with warmth, humour and remarkable honesty, Time On in the Last invites readers to look beyond the public achievements and discover the person behind the profile.

Ultimately, it is a story about what we leave behind, and finding meaning in life’s most difficult chapters.

Pre-Order Your Copy Here

Finding meaning in life’s most difficult chapters

In the darkest hours when you are in a situation where life looks bleak, you wonder if there’s anything positive left that you can still do to help others. I thank my oncologist, Craig Gedye, who pointed me in the direction of ANZUP.

Bruce's dog Teddy

At one of our favourite restaurants - Pike and Joyce

Fish and chips anyone

I had made it in TV when I made the front cover.

Why ANZUP?

When it’s darkest hours and you are in a situation where life looks bleak, you wonder if there’s anything positive left that you can still do to help others. I thank my oncologist, Craig Gedye, who pointed me in the direction of ANZUP and explained that this organisation is about funding research into trying to find answers to cure all cancers. How could I not be involved?

Kidney cancer affects 13 Australians every day. For Bruce, it is the diagnosis that changed the course of his life, inspired him to write Time On in the Last, and led him to support the research that gives others hope for the future.

Every person affected by cancer has a different story, but they share the same hope: better treatments, better outcomes, and more time with the people they love.

That is why Bruce has chosen to support ANZUP Cancer Trials Group. Through world-class clinical trials and collaborative research, ANZUP is improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Below the Belt cancers, helping more Australians live longer and live better after a cancer diagnosis.

Research gives more people the opportunity to live life without fear of cancer.

Visit ANZUP website

Follow our socials

Instagram Facebook-f X-twitter Linkedin-in

the facts

ANZUP’s Impact by the Numbers

0

clinical trials conducted since 2008

0 +

Australians enrolled in clinical trials

0 +

Trial sites across Australia, New Zealand, and the world

0 +

Researchers collaborating across Australia and New Zealand

Bruce has shared his story to inspire hope. Your donation helps turn that hope into life-changing research.

The Latest from Bruce

If you haven’t yet finished Time On in the Last, you may wish to come back to this section once you’ve reached the final chapter.

Bruce has shared his latest scan results and a personal update for readers below.

Warning

This section contains spoilers

Thank you for taking the time to read my book. I hope you enjoyed it, gained an understanding of my life, and caught a true sense of what it is like to face this insidious disease.

You have visited this page to find my final scan results—the results that would not necessary determine whether my life would be dramatically cut short but will give a good indication. For that is what these tests really are….an indication.

Personally, I avoid the word “remission.” To me, that word implies that you are waiting for the cancer to return. As you know from the book, I am all about living life with an approach that the glass is always 75% full.

Please see below for my latest test results, along with the results of the scheduled next 12 months of scans.

You may have guessed by now that Julie, Sophie, Craig, and I got the outcome we were mostly hoping for. There were still some issues that need following up. The scans to come will see if this news can get better and that this is not just a false hope. The more the scans show an improvement overtime the clearer the picture becomes and the more a normal life can be had.

Given these early results, I know that I am one of the lucky ones and we are all deliriously happy. I feel so sorry for those that haven’t been so fortunate, for there are so many.

Alongside these results, this page features some of our favourite family photos, sporting videos, and an opportunity for you to help fund vital cancer research.

Every little bit helps and Humanity thanks you for any contribution you wish to provide.

Bruce Lindner

I’m not sure exactly why but I’m very apprehensive with this upcoming scan and blood test. Perhaps it’s the high percentages of reoccurrence given the damming statistics for the first 2 years. I have also had ‘flu like’ symptoms, which in conjunction with me coming to the end of the cycle where I take my Psoriatic arthritis injection, has impacted upon my feet/ankles movements. Certainly not as bad as Darwin but along the same lines. Trusting this immobility is just my immune system saying to me, “we are here and still working very hard for you.”

Bruce Lindner

I was scheduled for a 11:20 am appointment with my oncologist, Craig Gedye. Unfortunately Craig had notified me a couple of days earlier that he was unavailable and that I was to see Amy Hsieh. His fill in for the day.
I was quite apprehensive with this scan as I had had a pretty hectic 3 months. My trip overseas to the British open was epic. I must confess that looking after my health took a bit of a back seat. My diet, alcohol consumption and exercise regimen were the least of my priorities, hence my nervousness.
My appointment with her went as well as it could do. The scans had shown no increase in the nodules both near my kidney and on my lung. The Medistinal lymph node was 10 mm. The same size as previously. No other signs of cancer were showing. Once again, all was status quo. I’m guessing if the results are the same on my next 3 month scan they will extend the time between scans. The good news continues.

Bruce Lindner

It’s my 6 monthly with my endocrinologist, Hamish. The news was a bit different this time though. After asking how I was feeling he then spoke to my blood tests. Something unusual had piqued his interest. Although relatively low, some hormones had been released by my assumed ‘dead’ Thyroid gland. This was a bit of a game changer for if it’s health was returning I would be able to discard one of the tablets that I have to take every day. To prove it without risking my health we would need to ween myself off the Levothyroxine sodium 100mg. I would need to take them on alternate days to start with and then have a blood test to see what my hormone levels were like.

We could then make a decision, based on my Thyroid’s health, if I could increase the time between tablets further till ultimately I could stop taking the Levothyroxine. Hamish will phone me with the blood test results and the tablet strategy can be assessed then.

Bruce Lindner

Monday

A CT Scan at 8.30 in the morning. Pelvis, Abdomen and Chest as per normal. I’ve been scheduling them at this time now so I don’t have to wait. First one for the day means in and out as quickly as possible. It’s a Monday and I’ve quite the medical week ahead.

Bruce Lindner

It was a bit of an anticlimax seeing Craig as his inference that all was the same had reduced my anxiety. Our meeting just confirmed that. All was as previously talked about. No increase in size with any nodes. Excellent.

Bruce Lindner

Got a call from the place I get my scans done that they didn’t have a radiologist available so I was sent about 6 doors up the street to the St Andrew’s Hospital. It was here where scans were initially done that discovered the cancer so I knew the place well.

Perhaps I’m getting a bit smarter as I dressed in a tracksuit pants and a wind-cheater, with no metal in either, so I wasn’t required to get undressed and into one of their gowns. I just got the intravenous cannula put in and then the dye was flushed through. All pretty quick in the scheme of things.

The scans done so I will just have to wait until the twelfth, six days away, until I see my Oncologist, Craig Gedye. Of course it will feel like a slow week. However, like always a blood test is needed. I’ll get that on Tuesday.

Had my bloods taken this morning (Tuesday )and my phone rang with Craig’s name on the screen not long before dinner time. “Shit, this can’t be good news, perhaps the scans have shown something very bad that can’t wait till Thursday” I thought. I hadn’t even thought about my bloods. Craig was ringing to tell me that my cortisol levels had reached emergency levels. They were so low, around 30 where they should have been somewhere between 150 to 600. He asked if I was getting dizzy, nauseous or feeling very fatigued. “Not really” I answered, “just a bit tired at golf”. He discussed my health and that I needed to get more disciplined on taking my tablets/medicine twice daily. Funny but to me this issue was to me in someways was quite the relief.

I surmised that if he had my bloods he would have already look at my scans, so I took the opportunity to ask him if he had seen them and if it was bad news. He didn’t say much but inferred in his response it wasn’t and would see me Thursday. I felt enormously relieved.

Bruce Lindner

It’s funny but the good news seemed a little bit underwhelming. Perhaps because I was hoping for a total ‘All Clear’. No cancer anywhere. Instead it was a ‘Status Quo’ result, which I am told was good news. In terms of what the other possibilities where, then there is no doubt it’s good. What confused me was that there are still a couple of nodules 5mm and 6 mm in the tumour bed (stable) and a Adrenal nodule 5mm (unchanged).

The Medistinal Lymph node had reduced to 10 mm from 11 mm.

Another 3 month wait till the next scan. These 3 month blocks become a bit nerve wracking.

Bruce Lindner

Don’t know why but this scan feels really important. Primarily, because if the results are as good as the last then reinforcement of a trend can be established and the normality seems more than a possibility. I’m more than aware though that all these good thoughts can be erased if the scan turns up the worst news of its reoccurrence. 3 days to wait until I see Craig and know for sure which it will be. It’s a frustrating wait to say the least.

Bruce Lindner

I get that nervousness feel again and consciously try to push it away. Mentally my focus is on trying to take a positive approach. Even still, there is a question that keeps coming to front of mind. Will the past good news continue?

The test results previously were encouraging but any change from them and my life gets thrown back into turmoil. Hopes of growing considerably older improve in direct proportion to evidence that the cancer has gone into a remission.

Craig ushers me into his consulting room with Julie also joining us. Her being here shows how important the news that we are about to hear is. Once again her support is unquestionable.

Craig reads from the scan results…

Metastatic Clear Cell Carcinoma – Currently no evidence of disease.

This is just fantastic. I’m aware that this can change at anytime but this is what I wanted to hear. What a great Xmas present. The alternative, well I don’t want to even think about it.

There’s still some nodules in the nephrectomy bed and the medistinal Lymph node near the ascending aorta has decreased slightly in size from 12mm to 11 mm.

Both Julie and I leave Craig’s rooms in a euphoric state, the significance of the latest news sinking in. Our hopes are raised for a possibility of returning to a normal life.

Bruce Lindner

The last few weeks have been quite unusual. Given my previous results I’ve become a little less discipline regarding my diet and lifestyle. My alcohol intake has increased. Not to levels previously but with food and socialising I’ve started having two or three glasses of wine. Aware that this is not good I’m going to make a conscious effort to check myself.

Nerves are building as I organise myself for my CT scan. Mainly because this will reaffirm or debunk how good the nuclear tracer scan was. A bad result and it all starts again. Treatment, an increased mortality rate and living a day to day existence. No need to plan too far ahead. Family stresses, once again, become the norm.

The scan seems to take less time than previous ones. Maybe it’s that I am getting more and more used to them. The results will go to Craig, my oncologist, who I see on Thursday. Three days seems a long long time to wait.

Bruce Lindner

This is as nervous as I have been. The results of this PET scan determines what happens going forward. It also reinforces how much time I may have on this planet. A bad result and Overall Survival is reduced significantly.

Craig is 20 minutes late through no fault of his own so Julie and I try to remain positive in the waiting room. Given the significance of these results my wife Julie has decided to join me for this important appointment.

Eventually we are ushered in and Craig sits at his desk and brings up my scans on his computer. He starts speaking to us about the results. I don’t quite understand what he is saying. He is so happy and high fives me. It seems the scan has shown no evidence of cancer blood vessels and the lymph node has reduced 3 ml in size. A great sign that the node may have been influenced by the deterioration of the thyroid from the immunotherapy.

Along with this there is no evidence of active disease on the PSMA PET scan. The results can’t get better than this. Immunotherapy will be put on hold and reassessed depending on the next CT scan booked for December 9th. I’m over the moon, might even have a glass of wine to celebrate. There is no middle ground with this cold hearted disease. Terrible or fantastic. This time it’s fantastic. You little beauty.

Bruce Lindner

My PET Scan is scheduled for 8am on a Saturday, it’s at the same building as the Cancer centre that I see my oncologist Craig in. They are not normally open on a Saturday so I wondered if he has been able to get them to open for this new scan. It’s new because the nuclear dye that is used is usually used for highlighting prostate cancer. Although unable to detect Kidney Cancer it’s able to detect the cancer blood vessels that the cancer produces around the cancer. These blood vessels will show up in the scan. It’s a creative way to determine if the Medistinal lymph node has metastasised into a cancer. Biopsy by surgery is way too dangerous due to the Lymph nodes location. By the time I arrived till when I left was 2 hours. After injecting the radioactive chemical called a radiotracer I had to wait for nearly an hour for it to circulate. Apart from claustrophobia, which I don’t suffer from, being in the scan was painless. Craig will get the results Monday.

Bruce Lindner

Craig my oncologist just called me. The medical group had discussed my situation and the consensus was that a PET scan was needed to ascertain the situation about the Medistinal Lymph node. This scan may or may not give a outcome of what was necessary going forward. It is to be scheduled prior to my next appointment with Craig on the 21st.

Bruce Lindner

Had an appointment with Dr Eaton my endocrinologist today. He was happy with my bloods and prescribed testosterone as my levels have been severely affected with the Thyroid and pituitary gland issues. This ideally will make me feel a little better and give me a little more vigour. It’ll be interesting to see how my demeanour changes. I’m told I need to watch how my aggression develops over the next few weeks.

Bruce Lindner

Who would have thought that I would be able to compete and win a 72 hole golf event over this long weekend. The A grade plate which is a highly desirable trophy was way outside what I thought was achievable. Over the last 3 weeks my inflammation within my ankles and elbows have improved. Dr Penglis, my rheumatologist, prescribing me Prednisone in high dosage to improve my flexibility, so my golf swing also improved. Without this there would be no way that I could have even tried to enter the competition as prior to these steroids I couldn’t walk.

That’s the main issue now, trying to get a drug that helps my psoriatic arthritis and also is not affected by the immunotherapy. The current biological that I have been using, Simponi, has had some serious reactions on me, so we are now changing to the latest new drug, Brimzelx which is added to the PBS on October 1st this year. By the time the government send through a script it will be over 6 weeks since I had any treatment and from past experience the debilitating inflammation comes back worse and worse.

After the golfing weekend I tried to reduce the prednisone dosage but I woke on Tuesday hardly able to walk. So back to the high levels just so Im mobile again.

Bruce Lindner

Well, the cards were dealt and the results were both good and bad. The great news was that the CT scan showed significant improvement in the previously known lesions. The spots on the adrenal gland and the liver have essentially resolved.

The concerning news was that they found an enlarged anterior mediastinal lymph node that had increased from 5-6 mm to 12 mm. This node is located between the lungs and right near the heart. Normally this would indicate a cancer but my fingers are crossed that it is an infection caused by my thyroid issues. A CT scan in 6 weeks will indicate how this plays out. If it is still enlarged or growing then surgical removal in this dangerous difficult area to operate will need to be undertaken. Statistically overall survival is about 25% for 5 years if this is the case. Wish me luck.

Bruce Lindner