A Fundraiser for Dryfus

Dryfus, my 7-year-old Corgi/German Shepherd mix. 

I don't normally let my personal life filter into the blog, but this once I'm allowing myself the leeway because it's for man's best friend. Specifically, my 7-year-old dog Dryfus.

For the second time in two years, Dryfus is battling cancer. About 18 months ago, a golf ball-sized lump appeared on his chest. Our vet diagnosed it as a soft tissue sarcoma and said Dryfus would need surgery to remove the lump. It was early and we were optimistic, so we scheduled the surgery immediately. My boyfriend Brian and I pooled our finances and Dryfus' grandparents even pitched in to pay the hefty bill.

The little guy was a trooper. He wore the inflatable neck pillow without complaint, never scratched his stitches and never let his discomfort stand in his way during recovery. Unfortunately, mere days after the first surgery the vet informed us that the cancer was in the margins and they wanted to do surgery again and take out more. Again, Dryfus went under the knife.

After a year without any trace of lumps, we thought our pupster was in the clear. Sadly, in December 2012 one began to grow in the same place where the last tumor had been removed. As of today, it's the size of a racquetball.

Surgeons have told us that with aggressive surgery there is an 80% chance that the cancer won't ever come back. The surgery entails removing part of Dryfus' chest wall and a few of his ribs. It's extensive and costly, but it's Dryfus' best chance at a cancer-free future.

We've started a fundraiser for Dryfus at Give Forward. The hope is that we'll raise enough to get him the surgery he needs by this May, so he can be healthy in time for summer. Please pass the link along to family, friends and anyone who's an animal lover. Every dollar helps and anything we receive is much appreciated.