A quick note before getting into the details about Juniper’s situation: there are a lot of heavy and urgent things happening in the world right now. If you’re feeling called to support people or causes in your own community first, please do that. Any support you’re able and wanting to offer Juniper after that, whatever that looks like for you, will be humbly appreciated with so much gratitude.

The short version

Juniper had surgery in December to remove a mass. While she has had mast cell tumors before that were low-grade and non-aggressive, this one unfortunately was found to be a high-grade, highly aggressive mast cell tumor. The good news is that based on scans and appointments with her oncology team, there is currently no evidence that the cancer has spread.

With a lot of thought and discussion, I’ve decided to give chemotherapy a try in hopes of slowing or offsetting spread and giving her more time for adventures.

A bit more detail

During surgery, we were not able to get clean margins, which in simple terms means that while the visible tumor was removed, there are still cancer cells left behind in the surrounding tissue. Without additional treatment, spread is considered nearly inevitable.

Juniper has already done more than her part fighting this jerk of a disease, with seemingly no new tumors so far. Chemotherapy is not a guarantee, but it gives us a way to actively support her in the fight.

We are planning to begin chemotherapy in mid-January. If all goes smoothly, treatment should wrap up around mid- to late-March, followed by ongoing follow-ups to monitor how things are going and watch for any signs of spread. I want to stay responsive to how Juniper handles treatment, so I don’t know yet exactly how far we’ll take things. Either way, the focus is her quality of life first and foremost.

Juniper also lives with severe arthritis, which will continue to need long-term management to keep her comfortable and chugging along. Despite all of this, Juniper continues to be her happy go lucky, goofy self with a growing affection for singing (or yelling...) for a french fry at Slim's or the treat she has sniffed out in your pocket that you didn't even know you had.

Between cancer care, arthritis treatment, medications, follow-ups, and supportive therapies like acupuncture, the costs add up quickly.

Why I’m setting this up

I’m setting this up because Juniper has touched many people’s lives, and several folks have encouraged me to do so. I’ll be honest, asking for financial support like this does not come easily to me. I’m stubborn and proud in some of the same ways Juniper is. But I’ve heard clearly that her community wants to help, and I’m humbly opening the door to that support.

I also want to acknowledge that many of you have already shown up for us in big ways in the past, especially around her previous surgery, other medical needs, or simply taking care of her while I was traveling. I will always be grateful for that. This fundraiser is meant to supplement the costs that will exceed what remains on her insurance for the year and will be layered with my own savings and budget as we move through both immediate treatment and hopeful longer-term care.

How funds raised here will help

Funds raised will help cover:

This fundraiser does not represent the full anticipated cost of treatment or long-term care (and the goal will continue to update as we progress through treatment so I don't unintentionally overshoot), and I have no expectation of others carrying that burden for me. But it will go a long way toward easing both the financial and emotional load I’m carrying so I can focus my energy where it matters most: caring for and supporting Juniper as she kicks cancer’s butt.

If you don’t know Juniper personally...

...You may still recognize her. Maybe you’ve been greeted by her at 45th Parallel, where in addition to being the official shop dog and greeter, she is also very serious about her job as floor cleaner and chief morale officer. Or maybe you've seen her holding court on one of her favorite St Johns bar patios or her debut as a calendar girl in the newest Dogs of Lombard House Calendar. She's also been known to help reel in customers while I sell Jackalope wine at local farmers markets, and happily floating along in my kayak on the Willamette River at Cathedral Park. In her younger days, she summited mountains and grinned her way through hikes in the Columbia River Gorge.

She has lived a very full, very social 11-plus years and remains extremely opinionated about snacks, when you’re allowed to stop petting her, and monopolizing cozy spots. I’m hoping to keep her life comfortable and joyful for as long as she wants to keep the adventure going.

Whether you’re able to donate, share this page, or simply give sweet Junebug a treat or a belly rub next time you see her, thank you. Sharing is just as appreciated as contributing, and knowing that Juniper’s community is rooting for her means more than I can say.

With love and gratitude,

Julia & Juniper

PS - you can follow Juniper on Instagram at Juniper_Adventure_Pup