To Friends and Family,

I’m reaching out with some heartbreaking news about Lauren’s four-year-old Bernedoodle, Roni. Recently, Roni was diagnosed with a very rare cancer called subcutaneous hemangiosarcoma. What started as a fall down the stairs in September raised concerns when the swelling in her leg didn’t go down with rest—instead, it kept growing. Roni eventually stopped putting pressure on her front leg, and in mid-November, the search for answers began.

After extensive testing, including blood work, biopsies, ultrasounds, and CT scans, Lauren received devastating news: Roni’s injury wasn’t a swollen elbow from the fall, but an early symptom of this rare and aggressive cancer. At just four years old, this was the last thing anyone expected. This energetic, goofy, outdoors loving, adventurous dog was sick. The news was too hard to swallow even for myself. Subcutaneous hemangiosarcoma is typically found in much older dogs, and due to its rarity, there isn’t much research available on it.

This diagnosis was a crushing blow. Roni is Lauren’s everything. Personally I don’t think my sister truly has loved anything or anyone including myself (and you Mark), the way she loves Roni. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my sister as heartbroken as she was the day she found out her sweet Roni girl was sick. Roni is not just a pet to Lauren; she’s family.

Despite the shock, each round of testing brought a bit of hope. When you love someone—or something—as much as Lauren loves Roni, you don’t give up on hope. Thankfully, additional tests revealed that the cancer had not spread and was localized to the joint of her left leg. Because of the tumor’s size and location, the best course of action was a full leg amputation, followed by chemotherapy.

Roni’s prognosis remains uncertain due to the lack of research on this rare cancer, but with the cancer localized and her remarkable spirit, we’re holding on to faith that she has a good chance at beating this.

Today, Roni began her journey to becoming cancer-free with the amputation of her left front leg and shoulder.

With this unexpected diagnosis and the cost of Roni’s extensive treatments, with Brooke's help we’ve started a GoFundMe to help Lauren cover the medical bills—both those already incurred and those to come.

Even if you can’t donate, your prayers and positive thoughts for Roni and Lauren mean the world to us. Thank you for supporting them during this incredibly challenging time.

With gratitude,

Rachael Spicher and Brooke Hand