Help Zoe Fight A Rare Form of Feline Lymphoma

I cried the day that I met Zoe, a tiny black pom-pom that fit in my two palms. I knew the fluffy soot sprite looking back at me with wide, bright eyes was going to be my best friend. That day, Zoe started purring and hasn't missed a day in six years.

Zoe has been with me through the best and hardest times in my life. She was there when I was a double major and competing on a college sports team and while I studied for my Master's. Zoe kept me sane as I applied for medical school two cycles in a row and comforted me as I cried with each rejection letter. She moved with me to Vermont to start my first real job, and back to New York when I finally got that acceptance letter. No matter what happened, how bad a day was, Zoe has always been waiting for me with loud purrs and a demand for pets.

Throughout her life, Zoe's shown her love to nearly everyone she's met. Though she can be shy at first, she'll always be the life of the party once she gets comfortable! The center of attention loves to greet everyone who comes over, and even cause trouble. She was obsessed with my friend Hannah, and would always crawl under her bed because she didn't want to leave Hannah's room!

Now, Zoe needs help. After an inpatient stay at Cornell Companion Animal Hospital, Zoe was diagnosed with B Cell Lymphoma with Mott Cells, a condition that has been described in cats only 5 times previously. Thanks to it's rarity, there is no treatment protocol or accurate prognosis for Zoe's condition. The brilliant vets at Cornell are working on a plan to aggressively treat Zoe, while prioritizing her comfort and quality of life.

As a medical student, I live off student loans, which I rely on for all my expenses, including Zoe's medical costs. Though my parents have helped me with Zoe where able, I'm not from a wealthy family that can finance her costs. Medical school expects 60hours of work from me a week, including studying and time spent at the hospital, but I'm still working on finding a job.

Zoe's treatment until now has been expensive, and it is going to get more costly. Her current hospitalization at Cornell alone has already cost over $2,500 and may cost a maximum of $5,000. I owe it to Zoe to do everything I possibly can to give her the best shot. Zoe has brought so much love into the world, please help me give that back. Every little bit helps. She and I are both more grateful than any words on any website could ever express.

I will add more details on upcoming costs when I have exact numbers from her Cornell care team.