When I moved to a new apartment in 2022, I was ready to bring a new cat into my life. After fostering many cats, I reached out to Give Me Shelter Cat Rescue and met Buddy, an adventurous and social cat who immediately made himself at home. Despite recovering from injuries during his time on the street, Buddy’s playful and affectionate spirit won me over. I had some hesitation about adopting, but his loving nature made the decision easy.

A year ago, I found a lump on Buddy’s shoulder. The vet initially thought it was nothing serious, but after testing, it turned out to be sarcoma (a rare and aggressive cancer). I acted quickly, got the lump removed and started Buddy on medication to prevent the cancer from spreading. I hoped that would be the end of it, but in November, I found another lump. The cancer had returned. I delayed surgery so Buddy could enjoy a restful holiday trip with me to Lake Tahoe, wanting to minimize his stress during recovery.

Back from Tahoe, I was determined to find a new job to help with the bills. But at the end of January, I discovered the tumor had grown rapidly, with more lumps appearing to the side of his spine. I contacted SFAMC for surgery, but after waiting weeks for a response, I turned to PETS Referral Center in Berkeley for urgent care. They confirmed Buddy needed surgery as soon as possible. They offered other expensive treatments or... the heartbreaking option of only managing his pain until the end. I can’t bear the thought of losing Buddy or seeing him suffer, so I am moving forward with surgery and taking out a loan to cover all his care (consultation, anesthesia, hospitalization, medication, etc.). I hope this will give Buddy more happy years by my side.

I am grateful for any donation you can make to help me pay back this loan and give Buddy the best chance at recovery. Your support means the world to us.