“It was a rollercoaster,” says Kamryn Bondoni, recalling the period when her dad, Mike, was diagnosed with cancer while she was a high school freshman. As Mike’s “good days” of strength and endurance began to diminish, his team of doctors eventually told him that there was nothing more they could do. The family’s determination led them to the The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (the OSUCCC – James), where the care Mike received was “exceptional.”
“They treated him like family,” says Kaitlyn Bondoni, Kamryn’s younger sister. “He was treated with dignity and warmth, with personalized touches like blankets and a room set to his preferred temperature. He was not a number. He was not just a patient. He was a person.”
Most importantly, the targeted cancer therapy at the OSUCCC – James provided the family with three more precious years with Mike, who passed away in January 2021.
Determined to give back, the Bondoni sisters have made significant donations to Ohio State’s cancer program in his honor. Both sisters followed in their family’s footsteps by joining 4-H at a young age and raising cattle for the annual county fair auction. At the first fair without their dad in 2021, Kamryn planned to donate half of her auction proceeds. She also prepared a note about her dad to be read when she entered the auction ring. The heartfelt letter about his battle with cancer moved everyone, leading to an unexpected winning bid of $17,000 from a man whose brother had also been treated at OSUCCC – James.
A year later, the scenario repeated with Kaitlyn. Thinking she’d be fortunate to end up with $8 per pound of cattle, Kaitlyn had to choke back sobs as the winning bid came in at $50 per pound from a man who’d known her dad.
“These two young ladies have made a substantial donation to our cancer program,” says Matthew Kalady, MD, director of The Ohio State College of Medicine Department of Surgery’s Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery. “It’s humbling to see what they’ve accomplished and how they’ve transformed their own talents into something even bigger.”
While they plan to make additional donations in the future, Kamryn and Kaitlyn recently presented Dr. Kalady with a check for $32,000. Some of the donation will be used to study specific genetic mutations, including the one that affected their dad. All of the donation will be used to change the lives of future patients who – just like Mike – want more years with their loved ones.
The Bondoni sisters’ story is a testament to their resilience and the profound impact of community support, honoring their father’s memory by making a difference in the fight against cancer.