Support Ron's battle with Follicular Lymphoma (FL)

Dear friends, family, and compassionate strangers,

I am reaching out today on behalf of the Kidwell family (with their permission) to humbly ask for your support and generosity for our beloved friend Ron Kidwell. Recently, Ron age 67, received a life-changing diagnosis of Follicular Lymphoma, stage 4.

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is typically a slow-growing or indolent form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that arises from B-lymphocytes, making it a B-cell lymphoma. As you can imagine this news has brought uncertainty about the overwhelming challenges that lie ahead.

Follicular lymphoma is not usually curable, but it can be treated so you can enjoy a good quality of life. Treatment aims to get you into remission (where the amount of lymphoma is significantly reduced).

Ron will receive both chemotherapy and immunotherapy each month, spanning over three days. The medical facility where Ron is receiving his treatments is approximately 2 hours away from where he lives with his wife Pam. During each treatment period, Ron and Pam will have to stay in a local hotel for 3 consecutive days.

Let me share with you a little about the Kidwell Family. Ron and Pam were married in 1985. They have a son, Ashton, and three daughters, Ciara, Taylor, and Jordan. Ron enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1974 and received an honorable discharge. He volunteered with the Red Cross for many years, deploying to numerous disasters throughout the United States. After the Marine Corps, Ron worked in Child Welfare for many years. He suffered a terrible injury at his employment and was unable to continue working. It was at that point, they became a single-income family.

Not only has Ron's life changed, but Pam's has changed too. All of their children live outside of North Carolina, so Pam has taken on the full responsibility of driver, cook, cleaner, and gardener at their home, all while holding down a full-time career. The financial burden is and will become harder to bear. Medical bills, prescription costs, additional days off work, hotel rooms, special foods...the list goes on.

Thank you for your compassion, love, and support to make a difference in Ron's life.