Physicians and staff at the OSUCCC – James left a lasting impression on Kamryn and Kaitlyn Bondoni by treating their dad like family when he came to the hospital with stage IIIC colorectal cancer.

Mike Bondoni was a loving father and well-known throughout their Alliance, Ohio community who passed away in January 2021 of colorectal cancer.

Mike and his family came to the OSUCCC – James after learning that targeted gene therapy offered there may help treat his cancer.

The level of care and treatment that Mike received from the team at the OSUCCC – James inspired the Bondoni sisters to donate to the work happening there. They wanted to make an impact on the lives of others who are experiencing what their dad went through.

“The James gave our dad three more years with us,” says Kaitlyn. Kamryn adds, “So anything we give back will still never begin to repay that time we ended up getting.”

Kamryn (left) and Kaitlyn (right) posing with Kaitlyn's dairy beef feeder

Active in their community 4-H program, the then-teenage sisters decided to donate the proceeds from auctioning off their steers to support cancer research at the OSUCCC – James. The support from their community was astonishing. “It was just so surreal, and I was crying as the dollar amount kept increasing,” shares Kamryn.

Since 2021, and with their community’s support, Kamryn and Kaitlyn have donated $32,000 to the OSUCCC – James in memory of their father and in support of Matthew Kalady, MD, professor and director of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Ohio State, and member of the Cancer Biology Program at the OSUCCC – James.

Dr. Kalady treats patients with colorectal cancer and studies the genetics of those cancers in his laboratory. His lab focuses on colorectal cancer genetics, the differences among patients and their tumors that contribute to developing cancer and how every individual’s cancer responds to treatment.

"We know that each person is unique, and that calls for potentially individualized treatments,” says Dr. Kalady. “By studying the mutations or changes that are present in that specific tumor, we are learning how we might be able to adjust therapy. Our goal is to take what we learn in the lab and bring it back to the clinic so we can make a difference with what we’re learning at the OSUCCC – James.”

Donations like the one from the Bondoni sisters enable Dr. Kalady’s lab team to continue its research. “I am impressed with the maturity, selfless thinking and outreach of Kamryn and Kaitlyn,” says Dr. Kalady. “Their actions can do so much for the community and help colorectal cancer research.”

Join the Bondoni sisters in supporting cancer research