Our Stories

Kim Durham had always contributed to The Hope Fund but had never really understood how it could help her family until her husband Keith had one of the unexpected accidents that can happen only on a farm. Keith was loading Clyde the bull onto a trailer when the bull kicked the gate and hit Keith in the nose, causing him to bite his tongue.

Months went by and the injury never healed. Kim Durham kept urging Keith to go to the doctor. After diagnostic tests, the couple was shocked to learn that Keith had cancer. Keith had two surgeries, a feeding tube, chemotherapy and radiation treatments over the period of nine months.

Keith said, “It was disheartening to start with, then you buckle down and decide are you going to let it beat you or are you going to beat it… and that’s what I did. I decided I was going to beat it.”

But farms don’t stop for anyone. Everyone in the family pitched in to help with the farm. Without Keith working, Kim had the added burden of trying to make ends meet. She said, “We were looking for whatever help we could find. God blessed us.”

Kim, a radiology technologist, says the assistant director of the radiology department at her hospital suggested she apply for a Hope Fund grant. Kim said the paperwork was easy to fill out and submit. Kim said she received a call on a Friday telling her that she was a recipient and the money would be in her account on Monday.

Kim says it was unexpected and they are very grateful for the assistance. Kim says “It eased a burden… and let me focus on taking care of him.”