My son Joe helped me write this post:

Hello, I’m Sheryl. I’m 77 and recovering from brain surgery for a subdural hematoma. Don, my husband, lives with frontotemporal dementia and I am his caretaker. Our sweet Goldendoodle, Charlie, has been our constant companion and a true source of comfort for us. Yesterday, while our family was performing Spring cleaning, Charlie ran into the street and was struck by a pickup truck who then drove off. We took him to Blue Pearl, our local Vet Emergency Room, where Charlie was diagnosed with a diaphragmatic hernia (his intestines and liver are in his lung compartment pressing against his heart). Charlie urgently needs surgery in Ames, Iowa at the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center to fix this hernia. Unfortunately, given our income and my recent surgical costs we cannot afford this procedure. Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center is asking for an upfront $8,000 down payment, but we’re unsure of the final cost. They are aware of our situation and this campaign. Unfortunately, we are unable to use credit-based funding. Our family called a variety of university-based clinics in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska, and South Dakota and we're told the procedure would cost about the same. We feel we have exhausted every option. The Blue Pearl veterinarian recommended a GoFundMe page as they know of several pets that have been able to secure funding for their procedures that way.

Without surgery, Charlie is unlikely to survive long. His presence enriches our lives and we find him to be vital for our family’s emotional well-being.

Charlie is currently stabilized but uncomfortable and breathing heavily. We’re working with our local veterinarian to secure a home ventilator.

Any amount brings us closer to saving Charlie, and if you could please share our campaign link with friends, family, and pet-lover groups, we would deeply appreciate it. Any words of encouragement also means the world to us.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your kindness and generosity. Charlie has given us so much love. Now he needs our help.