Help Ruby Get Chemo

Last week Ruby received a stage 4 lymphoma diagnosis, with a prognosis of 1-2 months to live. This diagnosis came as a gigantic shock because she is young and her only symptom was enlarged lymph nodes. Since then, her symptoms have begun to quickly pile up, though they are responding well to pain meds, steroids, and nausea meds.

Charlie has decided to try chemo, which could extend Ruby's life for a year. It is not a cure, but it could give Ruby, Charlie, and those us who love them both, time to give her the sweet and generous send off that she deserves.

All dogs are special, but Ruby is a different kind of beast. Ruby is the kind of dog that is impossible to fault. She's not a fighter, not a grump, she doesn't have an unkind bone in her body. She is adventurous, energetic, and sweet in a way that makes you feel special when you meet her big brown eyes. She loves to run through the woods and proudly show Charlie how high she can climb up boulders, and demonstrate her hunting prowess by pulling apart her stuffies with reckless abandon. She is kind. She has been generous with her love all her life, resulting in a huge family of friends who can't begin to imagine a world without her.

When Charlie met Ruby 8 years ago they knew, like all of us who love animals know, that someday they would have to say goodbye to her. Chemo is not going to change that fact, but it will mean that both will have more time to make peace with it. It will take some of the sting out of the swiftness of this all. This fundraiser will ease the financial burden on Charlie as they digest and navigate all of this. If you know them, you know that they're not one to ask for help lightly though they're incredible at giving it, and do so easily and without reservation to those lucky enough to know and love them.

Ruby's treatment has already cost over $1,500, and chemo will be another $7,000. Charlie is self-employed and if these costs aren't covered, they'll have to work a lot more to make up the difference, leaving them less time to spend with Ruby. Let's give these two as much time together as we can.