For those of you that know me, you likely know how much I love my cat Deja. He's been a loving and loyal friend to me for over 12 years. He's been there for me for all the highs and lows in my life and has provided me unrivaled comfort and companionship.

And as much as he has helped me, it is now my turn to do what I can to help him in a time of great need.

Deja recently received surgery to remove a suspicious tumor. Unfortunately, after testing, the tissue was determined to be cancerous. He was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer - a perianal adenocarcinoma – or cancer of the sweat glands.

This week, my wife Dasha and I took Deja to the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine to seek further diagnosis from the oncology department. And after multiple CT scans, x-rays and physical examination, we were presented with some bittersweet news.

Deja's cancer showed no signs of metastasis (no spread) to his internal organs. However, there are still localized cancer cells in the area that were unable to be removed via surgery. If left untreated, those cancer cells will continue to grow and the tumor will re-emerge, likely resulting in fatal disease in a matter of months.

Our only real option for treatment is radiation therapy. This will require me to bring Deja to UGA for radiation treatment every Monday through Friday for 20 days. He would be placed under anesthesia and have radiation beamed into the affected area – with the goal of completely eliminating all cancerous cells. The side effects are minimal including hair loss, diarrhea and localized pain. And while this treatment will be hard on me and even harder on Deja – the doctors believe this is his best chance at a healthy life for several more years to come.

Sadly, this type of treatment comes with a huge price tag. UGA estimates his month-long course of radiation therapy will cost $6,000. 


For me, there is no price that I wouldn't pay to save the life of my best friend. Unfortunately, we simply do not have the disposable income to pay for the treatments. I am exploring every option available including reaching out to non-profits, applying for grants and organizing fundraisers.

But I am also here because I am asking for your help.

Any donations will go a long way in helping pay for Deja's cancer treatment and would be greatly appreciated.

If you know me, you likely know Deja and the positive impact he has had on my life – and I believe he has impacted others as well. He's come a long way from being found in a tree in Banks County. He lived with me all the way through my college career at UGA – moving around to countless apartments and spending time with loads of fun roommates, some human, some canine. These days, he loves nothing more than cuddling up in my lap while I edit videos and work from home. He also loves playing with his adopted brother, John Henry. Despite Deja being a senior cat, he is full of life and energy. He still runs up and down our stairs every day before relaxing on his catio.

You may say he's just a cat, but he's human enough to bring me a great deal of comfort and joy. And I truly believe if the roles were reversed, he would do everything in his power to save me.

Please give anything you can and we will help this little guy beat cancer, together.