Dylan Wisman:
Finding support, and giving it back

When something felt wrong

Dylan Wisman had been a four-year starter for Mizzou wrestling. In 2023, back in Missouri for an alumni weekend, he noticed blood in his urine and pain in his side while deer hunting. He sought urgent care that day. KOMU reported that he was later diagnosed with stage 3 kidney cancer at age 27.

In his separate first-person account for the Kidney Cancer Association, Dylan explains that genetic testing showed he had HLRCC. That account adds the personal testing detail to KOMU’s reporting about the genetic condition linked to his cancer.

Letting other people in

KOMU reported that the cancer later progressed to stage 4. His former Mizzou teammate Daniel Lewis traveled to Virginia to see him. Dylan described how visits and encouragement from friends helped lift him out of a difficult period.

He also returned to activities he loved, including hunting, fishing, skiing and travel. In his Kidney Cancer Association account, he writes about the peace and companionship he found outdoors during treatment. These are his descriptions of support and enjoyment, not claims that being outdoors treated his cancer.

“I just want to give back”

— Dylan Wisman, speaking to KOMU 8

Creating a place for support

Dylan started The Outdoorsman Fellowship to raise awareness of kidney cancer, HLRCC and other rare cancers. KOMU’s March 2025 story described his hope that the organization could eventually help fund genetic testing and build a community for people facing similar experiences.

In his later account for the Kidney Cancer Association, he describes a mission that also includes promoting genetic testing and funding kidney cancer research. He encourages people to ask questions, find things that bring them joy and accept help from those around them.

Together, the two accounts show how a love of the outdoors and support from friends became part of a larger purpose: helping other people feel less alone.