Ajax Needs Life-Saving Surgery

To my friends and family,

It is through tears and with the heaviest heart that I'm writing to let you all know that my poor sweet best friend, Ajax, has oral cancer. If you've ever met Ajax, you know he is the silliest little teddy bear of a dog. He's been my ultimate companion and my family for the last 13 years and he should have more years to come. He's extremely youthful and often gets confused for a puppy because of his playful energy and sweet heart. Jaxy has been by my side through growing up in New York, California, college in Massachusetts, and has been living with me in Philadelphia for the last five years. He is the greatest joy in my life and I truly cannot begin to fathom a life without him in it. That time should not be now.

I recently just found out that he has a cancerous tumor in his mouth that needs to be surgically removed as soon as possible. It is growing fast, truly getting bigger by the day, and it is extremely urgent that the surgeons get it out before the cancer spreads to a point he can’t come back from. Ajax has a hard journey of healing ahead of him and will likely need chemotherapy as well.

Living alone in a city without any family nearby has always been a challenge. Ajax has carried me through many moves, life changes, tragedies, and accomplishments. He snuggles me when I’m sick and gently licks away my tears when I cry. After all this time, it’s my turn to carry him through this. It feels utterly horrible to not be able to afford to save my best friend’s life.

Asking for help is a really difficult thing to do especially when I know we all have things we’re struggling with and can’t afford. However I am humbling asking all of my friends and family if they have a couple of dollars to spare. At this point, his life-saving surgery is a staggering six thousand dollars (internal shriek!!!) that I do not have. So with an immense amount of gratitude, Ajax and I are asking for help.

I am so grateful to everyone in my life and to all those offering support of any kind. Please share this with every person you know and even those you don’t. And keep Jaxy’s healing in your hearts. Seriously, no amount is too small. Thank you so much to everyone, I appreciate all of you more than you could know.

With so much love,

Matea and Ajax