Chemotherapy Fund for Leggy Lu

If you're reading this now, you're probably familiar with the story of Lu, or Leggy Lu, the five-legged wonder kitty. I first put her on TikTok in March of 2023 in an attempt to raise money for an expensive surgery she needed to live. If you don't know the story already, please check out our prior fundraiser page here, or watch our update videos on TikTok at @LeggyLu5.

Our first fundraiser made $11,000 which was AMAZING and so much more than I ever could have imagined. It was also much more than I ever thought I would have to spend in order to save her life. After many, many trips across the state, and innumerable vet visits, Lu got her surgery to remove the cancer from her body. It went smoothly and within a few days she was mostly back to her old self. A few weeks after that, we got the worst news possible. The results from the biopsy of some abnormalities in her lungs came back, and they were positive as malignant. The cancer had spread to her lungs, which is not a place that it can be removed from, so it will eventually take her.

Since the diagnosis, I have transferred from working with the University of Tennessee to working with Nashville Veterinary Specialists in Nashville, which means no more long drives to Knoxville, something we both appreciate.

Working with our current Oncologist, he has put Lu on a chemotherapy treatment plan with the intention of making her life as long and comfortable as possible. We have had three visits so far, and so far it has been incredibly effective! During her most recent imaging, her tumors had not grown, and had even shrunk a little bit! Which is very unusual when doing chemotherapy in cats.

While we are incredibly grateful to be able to spend (hopefully) many more months with her, the treatments are expensive, and the money from the original fundraiser has all been spent (and I never even reimbursed myself for missed work while traveling). While some days are more expensive than others, they cost between $500 and $1200 every three weeks. We are also on one of the less aggressive and more "affordable" plans. I've been paying for her care myself the last few months, but am running on fumes and taking on debt. The horrible truth is that there is a direct correlation between how much money we raise, and how long she will likely live.

Our supporters have already given SO much and I could never thank you all enough for that. I shut down donations on the last page because I believed I had more than enough for her care, and even so I still had people emailing and DM'ing to ask how they could donate. I want it to be clear that I am not asking for money. I don't want anyone to feel like they need to give more than they're willing and able to.

I'm only asking for donations from people who are giving freely, who love Lu and are looking to help her stay with us, making us laugh on the internet, a little longer.

If you can't donate but would like to buy some silly merch instead,

head to www.leggylu.com.

Love & Purrs,

Lu and JB