Our journey with cancer

Hello, this is Susanne Hedley writing to you on behalf of the Kilpatrick family.

You may know Bill through town issues in which he has been intimately involved. Giving and shouting out for those who need it. You may know Bill through his writing in our local papers which has kept many of us well informed of events and interests. You may know Bill from the LCBO, where he was once employed. Or, you may know Bill simply because he is hard to miss. His smile radiates before and after him. His voice is confident and draws you in, as he is genuinely interested in you and full of interesting subjects to share and discuss – even in the grocery isle. You may know Bill by his opinions of which he has no reason nor desire to hide. And you may know Bill by the echo of his deep laughter.

47-year-old Bill and his beautiful family have been delivered the sad news.... lung cancer.

I cower as I type those words. That is how frightening this knowledge is to type much less to hear, absorb, accept and process as a family.

While Bill, Kendra, Brynn, and Joey are learning to live with this life altering knowledge, we as bystanders, gratitude holders, and love givers, are left with little we can do.

With the upcoming expenses of dealing with the journey ahead we can do at least one thing to help – give. Bill is one person who has given the most valuable and precious of all – his time to us in our community. Let us give thanks to him by sharing some of what we can.

We’ve seen it time and time again. Our community may not be the wealthiest, but it repeatedly gives the most.

Thank you for doing so.

As you may know when you go on medical leave Employment Insurance only funds you for 26 weeks at 55% of your pay. Donations will go to helping the Kilpatrick's with gas, accommodations, food, paying thier bills, thier son's educational expenses (he's going into his second year of college), thier daughter's travel expenses for volleyball. In short you will be helping to support Bill's family through this difficult time as they support Bill through this journey. Thank you.