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Kevin and his son, Mason, both serve with the Pike County Fire Department
ZEBULON - Pike County has been blessed with people who want to give back to our community. Now our community has the opportunity pass that blessing back to two of our fire fighters.
Kevin Gilham and Kevin Slone have served as fire fighters in Pike and surrounding counties for a long time. Both have been diagnosed with serious illnesses that need help from the community.
Kevin Gilham is in need of platelet donations as he is undergoing leukemia treatment and bone marrow transplantation. Kevin Slone is in need of a living kidney donor.
Information about how to help each Kevin is included in their stories as well as a link at the bottom of the page so community members can send tax deductible donations to their family through our local fire fighter support organization.
Prayers for them and their families are greatly appreciated as well.
Kevin's Story
Kevin Gilham has spent his entire adult life answering the call when others needed help.
Kevin has served his community as an EMT, firefighter, police officer, and SWAT officer. He has more than 35 years of experience as an EMT and retired as a Lieutenant from Henry County Fire in June 2025 after 32 years of service. Even after retirement, Kevin continues to serve his community as a Battalion Chief with Pike County Fire.
Throughout his career, Kevin has run into burning buildings, responded to serious accidents and medical emergencies, participated in high-speed pursuits, delivered babies, comforted children, and helped families through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. For decades, he has dedicated himself to protecting and serving others.
But Kevin is much more than his uniform.
He is a Christian, a husband, a dad, a Papa, a hunter, a pool rat, and a tanning junkie. He loves his family and friends fiercely, is a loyal and trusted coworker, and good neighbor to many.
On July 14, 2026, Kevin and fellow firefighters had just completed a difficult vehicle extrication when he suddenly began having trouble breathing while returning the rescue equipment to the truck. He went to the emergency room the following day. That visit began nearly a month of hospital visits, blood transfusions, extensive testing, and many unanswered questions.
On August 13, 2026, Kevin and his family received the diagnosis they never expected: B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), with approximately 70% of his bone marrow showing leukemic involvement.
Kevin was immediately directed to the Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Northside Hospital in Atlanta to begin treatment. His medical team explained that his leukemia was aggressive and, without immediate treatment, would become life-threatening within one-two weeks.
Kevin is now undergoing aggressive treatment that is expected to continue for approximately a year. The goal is to achieve remission through chemotherapy, with the possibility of a bone marrow or stem cell transplant as part of his treatment plan.
For more than three decades, Kevin has been the person running toward the emergency when others needed help. Now, his family, friends, fellow first responders, former coworkers, and community are rallying around him as he faces the greatest fight of his life.
How to Help
Those wishing to help Kevin and his family with medical expenses, travel, temporary housing, and other costs related to his treatment may donate through his GoFundMe: "Support Kevin Gilham’s Fight Against Leukemia" gofund.me/7daf46f7a (Another way to send financial donations is shown below.)
Platelet donations are also essential to the care of Kevin and other patients undergoing leukemia treatment and bone marrow transplantation. Atlanta Blood Services collects platelets to help support patients receiving treatment at Northside Hospital.
"We are incredibly grateful for the support Kevin has received from our fire family and the entire community since his leukemia diagnosis," said Suzzie Gilham, Kevin's wife. "The calls, messages, prayers, blood and platelet donations, fundraisers, and other acts of kindness have meant more to our family than we could ever put into words."
To schedule a platelet donation:
Atlanta Blood Services
5670 Peachtree Dunwoody Road NE, Suite P-100
Atlanta, GA 30342
404-459-8744
Most healthy individuals who are at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds may be eligible to donate. Final donor eligibility is determined by Atlanta Blood Services.
Every donation, every platelet donation, every share, and every prayer helps Kevin and his family as they continue this fight.
Another Way to Help
Pike Volunteer Emergency Services Booster Organization (PVESBO) is the Fire Department support organization here in Pike County. It has offered a way for the community to help our two firefighters and their families as they walk this journey.If anyone wants to donate for Kevin Slone or Kevin Gillam, they can make a check out to "PVESBO" and mail it to 2227 Drew Allen Road, Williamson GA 30292.
Please indicate in the memo as to which Kevin it is for and the money will go directly to them with no transfer fee or deduction. Any checks that come in without a designation to Kevin without a last name will be split equally between these two families.
PVESBO is a non profit 501(C)3 corporation for the Fire Department so your donation is tax deductible.
Read Kevin Slone's story by clicking here: pikecountytimes.com/secondary/kevinslone.9.1.26.html.