Florida Cancer Specialist Foundation Establishes Joan L. Kidd, MD Memorial Fund

In partnership with Florida resident Tom Kiss, the Florida Cancer Specialist Foundation has established the Joan L. Kidd, MD Memorial Fund to hone his late wife, Fr. Joan L. Kidd.  All proceeds from the sales of Tom’s e-book, “All the Way,” a memoir reflecting on the couple’s life together and their cancer journey, will be donated to the FCS Foundation to seed the Fund on an ongoing basis and provide grants to cancer patients in need.  Tom has also committed to match the first $10,000 of book sales. 

Dr. Joan Kidd was a respected internal medicine and family medicine physician who took pride in helping her patients. She was also a two-time Stage IIIC ovarian cancer survivor.  She continued to care for her patients while undergoing surgery and chemotherapy and lived 18 months longer than anticipated with a good quality of life.  Tom served as her advocate and caregiver and was with her through each step. 

Establishment of the Fund was first announced at the FCS Foundation’s annual Party Under the Stars fundraising event in Sarasota, which was also the launch of the Joan L. Kidd, MD Fight for Life Concert Series, which raised over $357,000 to benefit cancer patients.  The series hosts individual concert fundraisers for cancer nonprofits and patient support organizations to aid their fundraising efforts.  

“My book tells our love story of living passionately through challenges,” Tom Kidd said. “By sharing it, I hope to honor Joan and continue her legacy by helping others facing their own challenges.”

FCS Foundation Board Chairman Dr. Michael Diaz said, “The FCS Foundation has grown exponentially since 2011 in response to the needs of cancer patients statewide. Proceeds from the Joan L. Kidd, MD Memorial Fund will enhance our ability to help ease some of the financial stresses cancer treatments can bring, particularly during the current pandemic.”

“We are grateful to Tom for his generosity and for sharing the gift of his story.  It will serve as an inspiration to so many others on their cancer journeys and the Fund will help assist many cancer patients in need,” said Foundation Executive Direct Lynn Rasys.

The memoir is available in e-book format and can be downloaded to all devices. To purchase of lean more about “All the Way,” click here.