Peter and Bruce Bidstrup Memorial Scholarship
The Peter and Bruce Bidstrup Memorial Scholarship was established in 1984 by Carol G. Bombeck (Bidstrup), who served as Executive Director of the Arizona Kidney Foundation (now National Kidney Foundation of Arizona) and was the creative force and organizer of the original AKF Women’s Board. The fund was established in honor of Carol’s two sons who did not survive kidney disease.
This scholarship program was one of the first in the nation to directly assist dialysis and transplant patients to pursue their dreams of academic achievement. The program is funded primarily by memorials and private donations.
Carol’s dream was to establish an easily accessible source of scholarship assistance for all chronic renal failure patients in Arizona who need financial aid to further their education. Her intent was to provide the motivation and means for them to improve the quality of their lives and become self-sufficient.
The Bidstrup Memorial Scholarship Fund provides dialysis and transplant patients with tuition and books to allow them to continue their education. Students have used their grants to study a wide range of subjects and they have attended community colleges, technical institutes and universities. Many have fulfilled their occupational and academic goals because this assistance was available.
Similar to the emergency patient aid programs, assistance should be requested through the patient’s social worker or dietitian.