A GoFundMe campaign account has been established to help alleviate expenses associated with Guido Hibdon’s cancer treatment and recovery period. The legendary Missouri pro and Bass Fishing Hall of Fame member underwent surgery for colon cancer in February 2016 and began chemotherapy treatments the following May. Since then, the 70-year-old has been unable to resume his guide business on Lake of the Ozarks, and his family is struggling with financial burdens.
“The doctors think that Guido is going to recover, but it’s not going to be in a couple of weeks. It’s going to take time,” says Stella Hibdon, Guido’s wife. “There’ve been a lot of expenses that go with his treatments and care. Beyond that, of course, it’s affected our income and everything we’ve saved all our lives.”
Tammy Cox, a family friend, along with Krista Heidgerken at Evinrude, set up the GoFundMe account, Cast a Helping Hand to Guido Hibdon, whose goal is $100,000. By Friday morning, the fund had raised more than $12,000. The money will be used to help Guido and Stella through his long convalescent period, which is expected to extend well into the summer.
“Guido had his last chemotherapy treatment Dec. 20, and they put him back in the hospital that day. He’s flat on his back now,” continues Stella. “He lost 140 pounds since his operation, but he’s starting to gain back some weight a little. He couldn’t even eat for a while, and they had to run feeding tubes into his stomach. He’s doing better with that now, too. They put him on intensive electronic treatment for his throat, and he can talk some, but it seems like it’s been one thing after another.
“Guido is working hard to get better. He can’t walk at all yet, but they told him to try to stand up for five or six minutes a few times a day just to get his equilibrium back. Instead, he’ll stand for 10 minutes at a time. I just wanted everybody to know that he’s battling to beat heck.
“Guido and I have made a lot of friends down through the years in fishing, and the way they have helped out now in our time of need has touched us beyond belief. Our heartfelt thanks go out to every one of them.”
A longtime competitor on the FLW Tour, Guido Hibdon won the 1988 Bassmaster Classic and was Bassmaster Angler of the Year in 1990 and 1991. Hibdon and his son, Dion, are the only father-son duo to have won the Bassmaster Classic. Dion claimed the championship in 1997.
Click here to visit the GoFundMe campaign page.