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Help Mike fight cancer

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Hi everyone – thanks for coming to Mike’s gofundme campaign page. I’ll tell you a little bit about Mike, what’s going on with his health, and why I’m asking for your help.

         I first met Mike in Idaho when he still a young pup. He belonged to a friend of a friend of a friend (really). I could sense something special in him and so I put it out into the universe that if he ever needed a home, I would take him in a heartbeat. Turns out, he was passed from owner to owner to owner over the next few months. Sometimes pit bulls don’t get the love they deserve. He re-emerged in my life when he was about to be passed along AGAIN. I took the opportunity and swooped him up, gave him a loving home, and a proper name: “MIKE!” When he was finally in my arms, I felt a deep connection that his previous owners must not have felt.

     For the next 12 years of my life, Mike has been my co-pilot and faithful companion. We’ve traveled to many different places, we’ve grown a lot and made many new friends! It’s hard to explain how and why Mike is so special, but if you’ve met him, you know. His smiles, his tricks, the way he looks at you in the eyes conveys his gentle spirit. As a pit bull, he’s been an ambassador for his breed; often changing people’s minds about how nurturing pit bulls are by nature. There’s something about how he interacts with the world that often leads me and all those who know him to forget he’s a dog, and we begin to consider him as more of a close friend.


        While he’s aged gracefully over the years, I have been dreading the day I would have to say goodbye. And no matter how much mental planning I could do for today,
I’m still devastated by his current condition: 

Mike has been diagnosed with Lymphoma.

        The goods news is that Lymphoma is one of the most treatable cancers. The bad news is that, without any treatment, he’s expected to succumb to the disease in about 4 weeks. We need to start chemotherapy immediately. Chemotherapy is expensive, and it’s not designed to cure the cancer altogether like it is in humans, although that can happen. For Mike, chemotherapy’s main purpose is to ensure he lives comfortably for remainder of his life, which can be upwards of 12 more months with treatment. He still has the energy to live the life he deserves. I’m optimistic about treatment and the care provided by his veterinarian. I hope you feel the same way about Mike.

       Thanks for loving this pup – I appreciate all the help. If you’re able to make a donation, big or small, please share one of your favorite memories with Mike in the comments. Thank you! ~Alex Duesman
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Donations 

  • David Donnell
    • $200
    • 5 yrs
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Fundraising team: TeamMikeTheDogSFvsTheBigC (2)

Alex Duesman
Organizer
San Francisco, CA
Scott Scharenbroich
Team member

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