Hello, my name is Heléna and I am fundraising for my dog Koalaby - the sweetest soul I’ve ever known. She came into my life when she was just weeks old. She and her siblings were sadly abandoned on the side of the road. When I went to the rescue, I originally intended to adopt her sister Wallaby, but she had already found a home. Then I met Koalaby and she completely stole my heart. I knew she was meant to be mine.

She was playful but also gentle. She has this calm wisdom about her even as a puppy. We instantly became bestfriends, and she’s been my safest place ever since. Now seven years old, Koalaby still has the spirit of a puppy, full of love and loyalty. She is smart, deeply in tune with emotions, and always seems to know when I need comfort.

She’s been there for me for my hardest times and now it’s my time to be there for her. I do not have the money to treat her, but I cannot bring myself to just give up on her. She deserves more. She deserves a fighting chance.

Koalaby was diagnosed with malignant cutaneous melanoma, an aggressive form of cancer. The tumor was on her snout, and was removed by the vet but did not have clean margins. It has already started to invade deeper into her subcutis tissue near her oral cavity. To make things worse, her mitotic index of the tumor is extremely high with a count of 59 per 2.37 mm². This means that it’s fast-growing and has a high risk of spreading. She may unfortunately only have a few months left right now if I do nothing with no clean margins and high mitotic index.

Our vet informed me that due to the tumor’s location, another general surgery is not possible. However, they’ve recommended that we see a veterinary oncologist, who may have more advanced tools and techniques available. I am hopeful that with their expertise, a second surgery with clean margins might still be an option.

Koalaby will likely need advanced imaging (such as a CT scan) to assess how far the tumor has spread into nearby tissues. This alone will be expensive - and if surgery is viable, it will add thousands more to her care.

In addition to surgery, I am seriously considering:

Each of these treatments comes at a significant cost. Once I have a treatment plan confirmed by the oncologist, I’ll break down all the costs in detail.

Treatment could add years back to her life, or in the very least, give me hopefully one last good year with her. Every bit of help means the world - and gives Koalaby a better shot at surviving this.