Timothy “Tim” Kidder felt helpless when his wife, Mary, was diagnosed with breast cancer. This was unquestionably the most challenging chapter of their 40-year marriage. But despite this difficulty, he became her stronghold… her rock. Ten years later, Mary has won the battle over cancer and now is considered cancer-free.

Prior to Mary’s illness, the couple had never talked much about growing old together. They just assumed like many of us that they would have a fairy-tale life together. All of that changed when doctors discovered her cancer. Suddenly, the possibility of living happily ever after became a hopeful dream for the couple.

“She looked up at me one day during a procedure and said, ‘You’re my rock. I really want to grow old with you,’” Tim said.

Those sentiments made him realize how precious life is. Seeing his wife struggle through this difficult time gave Tim a deep need to give back and to honor his wife and her doctors. He became a blood donor. A faithful blood donor. A Hometown Hero. It was the one way he knew he could contribute in a lifesaving, meaningful way.

“My whole family is medical, but I’m about as far away from the medical field as I can get,” said Tim, who works at Temple College as the Fine Arts Technical Director. His wife, mother and a daughter are all nurses. “Donating blood is the only ability I have to give in a medical way.”

Donating blood is his way of giving back.

“Now, donating blood is my regular thing and I now donate as often as possible,” said Tim, who was honored recently as a gold donor for giving the maximum of seven donations in 2008. “It just seems logical to give regularly after what happened to my wife. The longer I give, the more I want to give.”