Gertie is my best friend and the support that is helping me through life. I rescued Gertie in the last year of my PhD. We love to go on morning runs and fall hikes together. I watch Gertie as she makes snow angels and chases snowballs. We spent hours writing together and watching movies.  She loves children and other doggies. I am pretty sure that most of my friends only use to me to play with Gertie.

This past year, I was diagnosed with cancer just after defending my PhD thesis and only weeks before I was supposed to move internationally for a post-graduate program. Needless to say,  I was not able to go. During my chemo treatment, Gertie hurt her knee and it seemed to heal as I entered remission. Unfortunately, I have just been notified that my cancer appears to be back and Gertie has gone lame from reinjuring her knee. She already has muscle atrophy from the injury. The vet has informed me that she needs to have surgery before the other knee gives out and the injury becomes life threatening (since I can't carry her to go to the bathroom). (There is a high percentage that soon after one knee goes, the next will go too).  I have been quoted $5000 per leg for a surgery that you know will last.

As a post-doc (aka. glorified student) with my own health issues, I am not able to afford surgery for Gertie. I honestly don't know what I would do without her. She has been there for me through the hardest years of my life.  I can't express how much it would mean for me to be able to see my baby walk, run, hike, and play with other doggies again (and also to prevent me from having to worry that she will have life-threatening injuries).

Any donation, no matter how small, would mean the world to me and to Gertie. 


Thank you so much!
Amanda