To Bobby and Larry Hill, two brothers who dialyze at Renal Care Group’s Amesbury, Mass., facility, family means everything.

Twenty-two years ago, Bobby, 48, found out his kidneys were failing and he was placed on dialysis. His brother Larry, 43, who suffered from high blood pressure, found out in 1997 that his kidneys were starting to fail and he, too, needed to go on dialysis.

Some might complain about the bad luck of two brothers sharing the same disease, but Bobby and Larry find strength from each other—and from their extended families.

“They tend to boost the emotional health not only of each other, but also the other patients at our facility,” says Jacqui Archer, RD, LDN, Bobby and Larry’s dietitian. “I believe their secret to success is their incredibly supportive family and a strong spiritual side.”

A Family Affair

“We have a huge family that will help you when you’re in need,” Larry says. That’s the way we were raised.”

As parents, Bobby and Larry try to instill those same values of generosity and unselfishness in their children.

“I try to raise him the way I was raised,” says Bobby of his 24-year-old son, Antwon. “The greatest comment I ever got from him was, ‘Dad, you did a good job raising me.’”

As Bobby dreams about becoming a grandfather, Larry enjoys seeing life through the eyes of his three children, including his 3-year-old daughter. The devoted father also relies on another kind of family to get him through the ups and downs of his kidney disease—his fellow church members.

“My church is my support group,” Larry says. “My pastor comes over and we pray together. They keep me going.”

Side by side

When the Hill brothers aren’t dialyzing side-by-side three times a week, chances are you’ll still find them together.

“I’m always with him or he’s with me,” says Bobby, who lives about five minutes from his brother. “He’s like a crutch that carries me. He’s a lifeline. Whenever I need him, I can call him and he’ll come over.”

Larry looks to his older brother for support, too.

“He knows exactly what I’m going through because he’s been through so much,” Larry says. “If I’m going through something, I let him know how I feel and he tells me what’s going to happen and exactly what to expect.”

When Bobby, who works part-time at a power module company in nearby Andover, is off, the brothers are probably fishing, taking in a drag race or vacationing together in their native Georgia.

Their families also gather for one of their favorite activities—enjoying Southern comfort foods that their wives, who are also from Georgia, whip up for them. “They’re the best cooks in the world,” Bobby says.

Among their favorites are corn, yams, baked chicken and salad, which they say they occasionally get to enjoy in moderation.

“We always make sure to eat small portions, take our medications and go to treatments,” Larry says. “You need your treatments to stay alive, and I want to live as long as I possibly can.”

Beating the Bad Days

The brothers admit they have good days and bad days, but no matter what kind of day it is, they can depend on each other for encouragement.

“Always give someone a smile every day,” Larry says. “Sometimes we all fall, you just have to keep going and not give up.”

Bobby couldn’t agree more.

“I have bad days sometimes, but I know that if I continue on the right way, I’ll be OK,” he says. “That’s all I can do.”