Help Nelson Fight Kidney Cancer

Nelson is my cat who has been in my family for 12 years. He brings so much joy to our lives, from making us laugh by throwing what we call a "stank face" - to his aloof but affectionate presence in any room we are in. to anyone who doesn't know him well he may seem like a shy or unaffectionate cat, but he's nothing but a glowing energy of love who needs a little bit of time to open up.

We took him in to the vet because we noticed he had lost weight, and during the visit the she felt his stomach and initially thought he had a stomach tumor. this "stomach tumor" ended up being an alarmingly enlarged kidney. three ultrasounds later and after a visit to an oncologist, the specialist suspects he may have renal carcinoma (a kidney tumor) based on the biopsy they did on his kidney.

so here's where we are right now:

his initial diagnosis was renal lymphoma - and we are a bit more hopeful about this new diagnosis of renal carcinoma (because carcinoma has a better prognosis and is easier to treat), but cancer is still cancer, and we need to find a way to heal his enlarged kidney. he is currently on steroids to assess how his kidney reacts to the medication, and if the kidney shrinks then we will continue giving him steroids to treat it.

if it doesn't, we will need to figure out our next step (depending on true diagnosis, because there isn't a confirmed way to diagnose whether it is lymphoma or carcinoma yet). some options may be kidney removal, chemotherapy, or a combination drug of two steroids.

I'm asking for help from my community because while I'm determined to get Nelson the treatment he needs, the vet bills have put immense pressure and stress on us financially. Nelson is a truly sweet animal that deserves the most comfort he can find in his golden years. he still eats, he still plays, he still acts like he is enjoying life, so we are doing everything in our power to help him in this time of need.

The current Gofundme goal of $2500 is including the bills we've had so far in terms of consultations, ultrasounds, and a biopsy, but we're expecting to have to factor in more costs (medication, potential kidney removal surgery, chemotherapy, iron/aging supplements, etc.), so this ask will likely change and we may have to extend the "goal" of this fundraiser.

I understand it is a big ask, but a little goes a long way if you are feeling charitable with wanting to help Nelson have a comfortable end of life, no matter how much time we have left together :)

Thanks you for reading ❤️

Love

Alyssa, Nelson, Drew, and Mojo