Charlies' Medical Fund

We are starting this campaign to help Jon and Marissa, very dear friends, who recently found out that her dearest pup, Charlie, has a benign but very aggressive brain tumor.

Charlie started having seizures and, after a couple of very difficult weeks, the doctors were finally able to diagnose the problem as an aggressive brain tumor that requires radiation. The veterinarian is confident that a course of radiation will allow Charlie to live several more happy, healthy years.

All funds will be used to pay for the tests already incurred in diagnosing Charlie's condition. The total costs of the treatment are expected to be around $20,000 and anything raised beyond that will be donated to the Oregon Humane Society. Any help that you can give would be such a blessing!

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Here is a note from Jon and Marissa:
Charlie is in need of emergency care. On December 12, 2019, we (his mommy and daddy, Marissa and Jonathan) witnessed a very scary scene: Charlie's first seizure. We immediately rushed him to the animal hospital, and after a week of blood tests leading to x-rays and ultrasounds, leading to an MRI, a small, non-cancerous tumor was discovered in his brain. There is a non-invasive radiation therapy procedure that can realistically add many good, happy, healthy years to Charlie's life. Without the procedure, Charlie has weeks, or maybe months to live. The costs are extensive and rising, and we do not want Charlie to suffer or have to be put to sleep due to a lack of funds.

Charlie has brought love, snuggles, healing, laughter, and adventures to our lives since the day we brought him home. We have seen our lives change in many ways, but one constant has been our sweet baby boy. He came into our lives as a rescue pup, 3 months old, after his birth mother had him at the animal shelter. We fell in love at first sight, and that love has deepened and expanded in ways we never imagined.

We often joke about how Charlie would be the "worst guard dog ever," because it never takes more than 5 minutes for Charlie to fall in love with whoever has walked through our door, and demand the spot next to that person on the couch for snuggle time. Jonathan's mother who calls Charlie her "grandpuppy" always remarks, "my blood pressure is instantly lowered when he snuggles next to me." Charlie's snuggles have seen us and many friends through difficult times.

Charlie makes us laugh constantly. The dachshund in him loves to burrow, so sometimes he will diligently re-arrange the covers on the bed for 15 minutes, pulling them completely off Mom and Dad only to settle himself on a big pile of blankets, with a satisfied, content look on his face. 



Charlie has impressed many people he has gone on adventures with. We believe that he is a mix of dachshund and golden retriever, so basically a golden retriever with 3-inch legs. He has never let that stop him from enjoying a hike. Charlie will, with ease, scramble up and down 10 miles of difficult terrain, barking a stern "let's go!" if we dare to take a two-minute water break. He has set the pace on our hikes his whole life, taking us to incredible places, and those are memories we cherish and hope to make many more of.

It breaks our heart to see Charlie suffer even for a minute. He had a bad reaction to the first anti-convulsion medicine he was prescribed, and watching him be uncomfortable for 2 days were some of the most difficult hours of our lives. We would never subject Charlie to a procedure that would lead to a low quality of life for our own benefit. If that was the situation, we would cry, hold him close, and make the difficult, but humane decision to ease his suffering. But, that is not the case here. There is hope for a full recovery, and for all he has given us, we will do anything to get him the help he needs. We will be forever grateful for any and all help!