New England Patriots' Nate Solder reveals child has kidney cancer; see details here

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Nephroblastoma, more commonly known as Wilms' Tumor, is a form of kidney cancer that affects young children. There are only rare cases of this disease and that is why few people have ever heard of it. But, New England Patriots offensive lineman Nathaniel "Nate" Solder and his wife are now trying to call attention to this previously unknown disease that is causing a threat to their infant son's life.

Solder revealed the unpleasant news at a charity gala for the benefit of the Joe Andruzzi Foundation, the ESPN reported. He and his wife are hoping that that by stepping forward they could somehow shed a positive light, especially to other people who are battling the uncommon enemy.

Dr. Johnathan Ross, chief of pediatric urology at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, said that Wilms' tumor is extremely rare affecting just 500 children every year in the U.S., wrote ABC News.

"It looks different than kidney cancer in adults. One of the good things about Wilms' tumors ... they're much more sensitive to chemotherapy and radiation," Ross said comparing Wilms' tumor to adult cancer.

The couple's son, named Hudson and was born last July, has already gone through some chemotherapy treatments at the Boston Children's Hospital. The 27-year-old American football player recently posted a message of optimism and gratitude to their supporters on his Twitter account, along with his son's photo at the hospital.

Thank you everyone ! support the #JAF -God is better than we can imagine pic.twitter.com/nWpvjWjyH8

— Nate Solder (@soldernate) November 17, 2015

According to Mayo Clinic, children aged 3 to 4 years old are prone to the disease but becomes less common for those 6 years old and above. The patients with this rare kidney cancer could seem healthy and may not always exhibit any symptoms. But for those who do, the signs to watch out for are abdominal pain and swelling, presence of a mass in the abdomen section, fever and blood in the urine.

The cause of the disease is still unknown, although, just like most cancer forms, it could be passed on from the parents to their children. Apart from family history, one other risk factor that may increase the chances of contracting the disease is being black. Cases of Wilms' tumor among black children are higher than those from other races.

Solder announced back in April that he was diagnosed and has undergone treatment for testicular cancer. Dr. Ross said, however, that there is no known link between testicular and Wilms' tumor in families.