Coco's Cancer Treatment Funds
Donation protected
Hi! I first want to say THANK YOU for even clicking the link for Coco's page and caring about our story. The past few months have been heartbreaking to say the least and to know that so many people care about Coco & I makes me feel SO lucky and blessed! I am so grateful and thankful for every single one of you reading this! THANK YOU X a million! I have also created and linked a six minute video so you can “meet” myself, Callie and Coco (if you haven't already) and hear our story! Coco also has a new Instagram page to keep everyone updated with cute pics! She would love if you followed her @CocoBeanTheKitty !
Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/cocobeanthekitty/?hl=en
Here is our story....
As most of you know, I’m a fur babe mom to my kitties Callie and Coco. Callie was rescued almost two years ago when we found her outdoors in rough shape and Coco was rescued last summer as a 9 week old tiny kitten through a rescue group. My love for these two kitties is beyond the greatest love and their love for one another is even more! They are literally my children, my whole heart and my everything.
This past spring, in the middle of April, I had to unexpectedly up and leave to Florida for a family emergency. Unsure of how long I was going to be gone for, I packed all our things and the kitties and I drove the long car ride to my family in Florida to stay with my dad. A few weeks into our stay, Coco began vomiting. The first she ever had in her kitten life. At first, I thought maybe it was the stress from my dads cats in the home or from something she ate (she had vomited a piece of rubber band and a sticker). But, the vomiting persisted daily and sometimes twice a day. Then, suddenly after giving Coco a kitty probiotic, the vomiting stopped! I was SO relieved and thought whatever she had ate, passed!
We made our trip back home safely and Coco was sick-free until about the 12th day when she suddenly began vomiting again. I knew something was seriously wrong the day she went without eating anything but a few treats. I had an appointment scheduled with our family vet a few day away but I couldn't wait any longer and that night, I took Coco to the emergency vet. X-rays showed no blockage (thankfully) but the blood results were VERY shocking and concerning to the vet. He explained Coco's white blood cell count was EXTREMELY high and they had never seen numbers at her level. A normal WBC count for a cat is 1,000. Coco's level was at 130,000. The vet explained this pointed towards white blood cell cancer.
Concerned and so HEARTBROKEN, we continued forward to verify if the high levels of WBC's were caused from cancer. Coco underwent a bone marrow biopsy surgery that confirmed it was a very rare eosinophilic white blood cell cancer. My heart was shattered into a million pieces.
Coco was placed on a few medications twice a day and we were then transferred to the vet oncology office. Since then Coco has had a handful of CBC and chemistry panels to monitor her WBC level (which has thankfully gone down significantly!), an abdominal ultrasound and tissue biopsies of a few of her organs. Yet, Coco still remains the happiest, most hyper little kitty! The medications helped her feel back to normal within a week and her vomited completely stopped! She has been doing SO WELL at home! :) However, the vet oncologist say Coco needs chemotherapy to fight the cancer.
So, this is where we are today. A crazy, very emotional roller coaster of the past few months. The great news is that the medications really help Coco! So, we are very lucky and blessed that she is still doing well! I have such high hope and faith. I want to do everything I can for Coco.
Our vet explained the chemo and blood work would estimate around $300 every three weeks. Although, that seems manageable, I realized how quickly that adds up. For a year of only the chemo and blood work costs, its approximately $6000 - $6500. Any diagnostic imaging would cost extra. Our vet explained Coco will most likely need this treatment for the rest of her life but will of course monitor the cancer.
I have taken the past weeks to really pray about this mostly because I am not one to ask or accept help . I have a very hard time with it and I pride myself on working hard for what I have. But I had to be honest with myself. I don’t have that extra high dollar amount right now. My parents and siblings moved to Florida days after my high school graduation open house when I was 17 years old. This was one year after I, myself had battled and won my fight against cancer at 16! I moved in with my aunt and uncle and worked full time to save the money to get my fist apartment that I signed for on my 18th birthday that following fall. I took out student loans to put myself through college and at more than one time, worked two jobs to pay for my books and all my bills. I am currently working to two jobs (which I love)! 40 hrs/week at one job, 25 hrs/week at the other. I have always worked hard sometimes with no days off to get ahead by my own means. I am a single household income and with my rent, car payment, student loans, car insurance, health insurance, credit cards, utility bills, and other misc. bills like my phone and internet, the little extra money that I have at the end of the week is for groceries, kitty food/ kitty necessities and gas for my car. I always have a rainy-day fund/savings account but the past few months with my family emergency stay in Florida and Coco’s initial vet bill, the account is nearly empty. Although, I am saving every penny I can to build the account back up. This expense for Coco’s chemo treatment adds up to a high dollar amount. One that I so badly wish I could just pay without second thought of other bills and be able to move forward with all treatment. That remains my #1 goal to be able to do one day. I am so very blessed to have the resources that have been introduced to me by our vet and the generous, amazing people that have already helped in such a big way! I have been praying about this and I hope Coco’s situation touches your heart. I have also attached a six minute video I have put together, so you could “meet” myself, Callie and Coco (if you haven't already)! Thank you so very much for your time and patience with reading our story and viewing the video! Anything helps, even just a prayer! I greatly appreciate anything with all my heart! I will try my very best to one day, be able to help other young woman, children and pets that are in need! Thank you again and God bless!
- With all our hearts,
Brianna, Callie and Coco
*All funds will go directly as a credit to Coco's patient account at our vet oncologists office
Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/cocobeanthekitty/?hl=en
Here is our story....
As most of you know, I’m a fur babe mom to my kitties Callie and Coco. Callie was rescued almost two years ago when we found her outdoors in rough shape and Coco was rescued last summer as a 9 week old tiny kitten through a rescue group. My love for these two kitties is beyond the greatest love and their love for one another is even more! They are literally my children, my whole heart and my everything.
This past spring, in the middle of April, I had to unexpectedly up and leave to Florida for a family emergency. Unsure of how long I was going to be gone for, I packed all our things and the kitties and I drove the long car ride to my family in Florida to stay with my dad. A few weeks into our stay, Coco began vomiting. The first she ever had in her kitten life. At first, I thought maybe it was the stress from my dads cats in the home or from something she ate (she had vomited a piece of rubber band and a sticker). But, the vomiting persisted daily and sometimes twice a day. Then, suddenly after giving Coco a kitty probiotic, the vomiting stopped! I was SO relieved and thought whatever she had ate, passed!
We made our trip back home safely and Coco was sick-free until about the 12th day when she suddenly began vomiting again. I knew something was seriously wrong the day she went without eating anything but a few treats. I had an appointment scheduled with our family vet a few day away but I couldn't wait any longer and that night, I took Coco to the emergency vet. X-rays showed no blockage (thankfully) but the blood results were VERY shocking and concerning to the vet. He explained Coco's white blood cell count was EXTREMELY high and they had never seen numbers at her level. A normal WBC count for a cat is 1,000. Coco's level was at 130,000. The vet explained this pointed towards white blood cell cancer.
Concerned and so HEARTBROKEN, we continued forward to verify if the high levels of WBC's were caused from cancer. Coco underwent a bone marrow biopsy surgery that confirmed it was a very rare eosinophilic white blood cell cancer. My heart was shattered into a million pieces.
Coco was placed on a few medications twice a day and we were then transferred to the vet oncology office. Since then Coco has had a handful of CBC and chemistry panels to monitor her WBC level (which has thankfully gone down significantly!), an abdominal ultrasound and tissue biopsies of a few of her organs. Yet, Coco still remains the happiest, most hyper little kitty! The medications helped her feel back to normal within a week and her vomited completely stopped! She has been doing SO WELL at home! :) However, the vet oncologist say Coco needs chemotherapy to fight the cancer.
So, this is where we are today. A crazy, very emotional roller coaster of the past few months. The great news is that the medications really help Coco! So, we are very lucky and blessed that she is still doing well! I have such high hope and faith. I want to do everything I can for Coco.
Our vet explained the chemo and blood work would estimate around $300 every three weeks. Although, that seems manageable, I realized how quickly that adds up. For a year of only the chemo and blood work costs, its approximately $6000 - $6500. Any diagnostic imaging would cost extra. Our vet explained Coco will most likely need this treatment for the rest of her life but will of course monitor the cancer.
I have taken the past weeks to really pray about this mostly because I am not one to ask or accept help . I have a very hard time with it and I pride myself on working hard for what I have. But I had to be honest with myself. I don’t have that extra high dollar amount right now. My parents and siblings moved to Florida days after my high school graduation open house when I was 17 years old. This was one year after I, myself had battled and won my fight against cancer at 16! I moved in with my aunt and uncle and worked full time to save the money to get my fist apartment that I signed for on my 18th birthday that following fall. I took out student loans to put myself through college and at more than one time, worked two jobs to pay for my books and all my bills. I am currently working to two jobs (which I love)! 40 hrs/week at one job, 25 hrs/week at the other. I have always worked hard sometimes with no days off to get ahead by my own means. I am a single household income and with my rent, car payment, student loans, car insurance, health insurance, credit cards, utility bills, and other misc. bills like my phone and internet, the little extra money that I have at the end of the week is for groceries, kitty food/ kitty necessities and gas for my car. I always have a rainy-day fund/savings account but the past few months with my family emergency stay in Florida and Coco’s initial vet bill, the account is nearly empty. Although, I am saving every penny I can to build the account back up. This expense for Coco’s chemo treatment adds up to a high dollar amount. One that I so badly wish I could just pay without second thought of other bills and be able to move forward with all treatment. That remains my #1 goal to be able to do one day. I am so very blessed to have the resources that have been introduced to me by our vet and the generous, amazing people that have already helped in such a big way! I have been praying about this and I hope Coco’s situation touches your heart. I have also attached a six minute video I have put together, so you could “meet” myself, Callie and Coco (if you haven't already)! Thank you so very much for your time and patience with reading our story and viewing the video! Anything helps, even just a prayer! I greatly appreciate anything with all my heart! I will try my very best to one day, be able to help other young woman, children and pets that are in need! Thank you again and God bless!
- With all our hearts,
Brianna, Callie and Coco
*All funds will go directly as a credit to Coco's patient account at our vet oncologists office
Organizer
Brianna Crista
Organizer
Lansing, MI
