Help zinnia get Radiation — beecher, IL

Zinnia is my 4-year-old dog who has been fighting a rare and aggressive cancer called multilobular tumor of bone (multilobular osteochondrosarcoma) affecting her upper jaw. She has already undergone multiple surgeries to remove and debulk the tumor, and during her most recent surgery, some of her jaw bone also had to be removed. Unfortunately, because of the location of the tumor and the difficulty of completely removing it without causing significant damage, she remains at risk for recurrence.

Her veterinary oncology team has recommended radiation therapy as an important next step to help control the remaining cancer and give her more time with a good quality of life. Radiation can be used to target microscopic or remaining tumor cells after surgery and may provide additional local control.

Zinnia is only four years old. She has so much life left to live, and she continues to be loving, happy, and deeply important to our family. We are doing everything we can to give her that opportunity, but the cost of cancer treatment has become more than I can manage on my own.

At the same time that I have been caring for Zinnia, my family has been going through an extremely difficult period. My grandmother has Alzheimer’s disease, and I have spent significant time helping care for and support my family. I have also experienced the loss of a baby, which has been an incredibly painful loss that has affected me deeply. Because of these circumstances and the amount of time I have needed to devote to my family, I have been unable to work as much as I normally would.

I am not asking for assistance because I am unwilling to work or contribute toward Zinnia’s treatment. I am asking because circumstances beyond my control have made it impossible for me to cover the full cost of the treatment she needs. I have continued to pursue every treatment option I can because Zinnia is family, and I want to give her every reasonable chance to have more happy, comfortable years with us.

Receiving anything toward Zinnia’s radiation treatment would make an enormous difference. It would allow us to pursue the cancer treatment recommended by her veterinary oncology team instead of having the financial burden determine how much treatment she can receive. Most importantly, it could give this young dog more time to live the life she deserves.

I am incredibly grateful for any assistance that could help us give Zinnia more time

Zinnia is my 4-year-old dog who has been fighting a rare and aggressive cancer called multilobular tumor of bone (multilobular osteochondrosarcoma) affecting her upper jaw. She has already undergone multiple surgeries to remove and debulk the tumor, and during her most recent surgery, some of her jaw bone also had to be removed. Unfortunately, because of the location of the tumor and the difficulty of completely removing it without causing significant damage, she remains at risk for recurrence.

Her veterinary oncology team has recommended radiation therapy as an important next step to help control the remaining cancer and give her more time with a good quality of life. Radiation can be used to target microscopic or remaining tumor cells after surgery and may provide additional local control.

I lost a baby... and i met Zinnia before i even knew i was pregnant. She knew, and chose me. After that loss, Zinnia has been my why. She has gotten me out of bed every single day since. She has made me certain that there is ONE THING for me to live for. And it's her.

At the same time that I have been caring for Zinnia, my family has been going through an extremely difficult period. My grandmother has Alzheimer’s disease, and I have spent significant time helping care for and support my family. I have also experienced the loss of a baby, which has been an incredibly painful loss that has affected me deeply. Because of these circumstances and the amount of time I have needed to devote to my family, I have been unable to work as much as I normally would.