Hi, my name is Amelia and this is for my dog Lyra, a 6 year old Spanish Mastiff who was unfortunately diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma. Vet bills are putting stress on my parents and I want to help relieve some of it so they can choose whether or not to go through with chemo or palliative care.

Let me tell you about my Lyra.

We adopted her as a puppy from a farm where she was severely malnourished and flea ridden. Days before we adopted her brother, a black cat named Lucifer (after the character from a show we loved watching). They grew up together and loved to play fight and now we have 3 cats who all accept Lyra as the giant, slobbery dog she is.

Her other brother, Maze, adores her the most. He follows us when we walk her at night and he loves to just exist near her. Thinking about Maze losing his sister breaks my heart but unfortunately the cancer is so advanced that even with chemo we would get another year at best.

Lyra is a compassionate dog. She tends to be the mediator between dog conflicts and protects the people and animals she loves. She loves hiking but hates riding in the car to get to the hike, she hates water but she loves to stay cool during the summer, sleeping often so we didn't think much of her symptoms until she couldn't drink and was crying in pain and another dog owner at the park gave us an emergency vet to go to, insisting that we go as soon as possible.

I think of my mother most of all in this painful situation. Despite being someone who wasn't fond of dogs, she grew to love and care for Lyra like she was her own child. Lyra loves her even more than she loves herself. The thought of losing her is taking a toll on my mother, a strong woman who I know can handle anything life throws at her.

However she mentioned in passing one day that sometimes even the strongest people need help. That people often, when they know that their friend is strong, assume that every situation is something they can handle alone. They maybe send a "you'll get through this because I've seen you do it before" message. To an extent that's true, but it's only possible with community.

Which is why, despite feeling incredibly guilty for asking, I turn to anyone kind and able enough to donate. Thank you so much.