Former Bassmaster Classic champion and two-time B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year Guido Hibdon is battling colon cancer and started his first chemotherapy treatment on Monday.
Hibdon, who competed on the FLW Tour as recently as early 2015, underwent an operation on his colon in May to remove as much of the affected tissue as possible, but it was later discovered that the disease had migrated to his lymph nodes as well.
"Evidently the chemo isn't as bad as it used to be – they've made vast improvements in keeping you from getting real sick," said Hibdon's son Dion, himself a former Classic winner. "He's gotta do 6 months of it. He'll go in (to the hospital) every other Monday and sit for 6 hours while they IV it into him, then he'll go home with a pump that gives him 48 hours of it slowly."
Dion said that his father, who celebrated his 70th birthday over the weekend, was in good spirits on Tuesday. He'll return to the hospital Wednesday to have the pump removed.
"We've got a buddy who's been going through it and he said when the pump comes off, you feel right as rain. You're laid up for a few days, but then you're right back at it, so (Guido) should be able to fish when he wants to.
"Going through it is different for everybody – for some it's hard and for others it's a lot easier. We're keeping our fingers crossed and we're happy that it's not affecting him too bad just yet. He's about as tough as they come."
Get-well cards can be sent to Hibdon at 47 Tristar Road, Sunrise Beach, MO 65079.
