I never thought I would be writing this—on March 28, 2026, my 30th birthday—we received the most heartbreaking news of our lives. My dog Lulu, who is only 5 years old, was diagnosed with lymphoma, an aggressive cancer with no cure. I don’t even know how to explain what I felt hearing those words. It felt like my whole world stopped. The doctor initially told us Lulu only had about 2–3 months to live without treatment and referred us to an oncologist for further testing. At first, my family and I had hope that it was just inflammation. The only symptom she showed was swollen lymph nodes on her neck, but other than that, she was still acting like her normal, loving, happy self. That made it even harder to believe something serious could be wrong. The oncologist recommended an FNA biopsy to confirm whether it was cancer or not. The results confirmed the worst news imaginable: Large B-cell lymphoma.

We were devastated and in complete disbelief. I still struggle to accept it. I couldn’t believe my Lulu had cancer—I just couldn’t. I’ve had so many sleepless nights just watching over her, making sure she’s okay. I also spend many sleepless nights educating myself on lymphoma, as I have never had a pet with cancer before and I’m trying to understand everything I can to give her the best care possible. What hurts the most is that she still acts completely normal, like nothing is wrong. Going through this has been so painful that it has honestly made me not want to get another dog ever again, because I can’t imagine going through this kind of heartbreak twice. Her oncologist told us that Lulu is actually a great candidate for chemotherapy (CHOP protocol), and because it looks like we caught it early, she may have a good prognosis. If Lulu receives chemotherapy treatment, she could potentially live up to 1 year, and in some cases even 2 years. Hearing that gave us a small sense of hope in the middle of all this heartbreak.

Without treatment, we were told Lulu may only have about 2–3 months left. Because of this, my family and I want to give her the best possible chance and the best quality of life we can while she is still with us. How could I not give Lulu that chance to live longer? I would do anything for Lulu. I will fight for her with everything I have. After receiving the estimate for her treatment, medication, and follow-up visits, I knew this would be very difficult to manage on my own. I am a full-time college student, and this all came completely out of nowhere and was very unexpected. That is why I am starting this fundraiser—to help give my sweet Lulu the treatment she needs and deserves. Any donation, no matter how small, will help more than words can express and will mean the world to us. If you are unable to donate, sharing this page would also help tremendously. Lulu is not just my dog—she is my family, my comfort, and my best friend. I am doing everything I can to fight for her the way she has always been there for me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading our story. Prayers are greatly appreciated and May God Bless you.

Luv, The Ornelas/Venegas Family!