Kelley Fowler organized a fundraiser to celebrate her father Kevin's 10-year kidney transplant anniversary. She sent letters asking 200 family and friends to donate $10 each. This raised $6,500 for the PKD Foundation. Kelley was touched by the large response in support of her father and his donor. She hopes to help other families impacted by polycystic kidney disease.

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Fowler Family Celebrates 10-Year Transplant Anniversary
K
evin Fowler celebrated
his 10-year transplant
anniversary in August.
His 16-year-old daughter
Kelley wanted to do something to
celebrate the occasion, so she sent
a letter to 200 family members and
friends asking them each for a $10
donation. The Fowler family was
overwhelmed by the response. As
of printing, Kelley’s efforts raised
$6,500. In addition to donations for
the PKD Foundation, they received
cards and notes of well wishes,
which Kelley has compiled into a
book for her dad and his kidney
donor, Chris Bodendieck.
Kevin and his wife Kathy were
touched and proud of Kelley’s work.
“It was the best gift I could have
gotten,” Kevin said.
“My dad is lucky,” Kelley said. “I
wanted to give back and raise money
for the PKD Foundation to help other
families impacted by PKD who aren’t
as lucky. I was really excited to see
that many people give after following
our family’s transplant journey.”
The Fowlers are longtime supporters
of the PKD Foundation, helping
start the St. Louis Walk for PKD in
the early 2000s. In 2013, Kevin’s
aunt Laverne Duvall left a bequest
of nearly $1.7 million to the PKD
Foundation, the largest estate gift the
Foundation has ever received.
In the above photo: The Bodendieck and
Fowler families recreated a photo taken
ten years ago. Back row from left to right:
(Bodendiecks) Dylan, Heather, Loren, Adam,
Zach, (Fowlers) Kathy and Kelly. Front row:
(Bodendiecks) Blake, Christopher, Chris,
(Fowlers) Kevin and Jack
10 Years Later, and the Smiles are
Even Bigger
Kelly advises others who are looking
to contribute to the PKD Foundation
to take the first step. “Find
something you are passionate about
and do it,” she said. “Do something
that may seem small, but it can
snowball into something bigger and
into so much love.”
To create your own DIY for PKD:
Fundraising Your Way event, contact
Sara Brown, Fundraising Events
Manager, at sarab@pkdcure.org or
816.268.8469.
“My dad is lucky,” Kelley said. “I wanted to give back and raise money for
the PKD Foundation to help other families impacted by PKD who aren’t as
lucky. I was really excited to see that many people give after following our
family’s transplant journey.”