Meet Shadow—a cheeky, playful, and sweet four-year-old black cat who I love dearly. I’ve had her since she was just six weeks old, and she’s like a little sister to my childhood cat, Moet.

For the past couple of weeks, something wasn’t quite right. Then, a few days ago, her condition took a sudden and terrifying turn. She stopped eating, became extremely lethargic, and started leaking fluid. After rushing her to the vet, I got heartbreaking news: Shadow had closed pyometra—a life-threatening infection of the uterus. Without immediate emergency surgery, she wouldn’t have survived.

I had to make the difficult decision to go ahead with the surgery, even though the cost felt impossible for me. I was able to negotiate with the vet to delay payment until next week, when I’ll receive funds from my UNSW Advantage Award scholarship. This money is meant to support my studies, but I now have no choice but to use it to pay for Shadow’s care.

Thanks to the incredible veterinary team, Shadow pulled through and is now recovering well! But the surgery has left me with a $2,500 vet bill, and I need help to cover the cost.

If you’re able to contribute, any amount—big or small—will make a huge difference. And if you can’t donate, sharing this fundraiser would mean the world to me!

Thank you for helping Shadow get a second chance at life. ❤️