
Mack's Lymphoma Treatment
Donation protected
After what was going to be a basic wellness exam, we found out that my handsome prince has renal lymphoma. A fast-acting cancer, lymphoma can be fatal within 4-6 weeks. For information you can go here: Renal Lymphoma Facts. With the help of amazing vets at SFSPCA and specialists at NorCal Vets in Daly City, we quickly decided to get Mack on a chemo & steroids treatment to not only extend his time with us but to improve his quality of life.
For those that haven't dealt with cancer in animals, chemo is handled very differently than it is with people. Chemo is administered in smaller doses, less often and it is even in pill form. The goal of chemo is not to attack both good and bad cells in the hopes of remission; instead it is meant to keep the cancer at bay, to reduce the effects of what it is doing to the body, and the main goal is to improve the quality of the animal's life until it will not work any longer.
With renal lymphoma, this version of treatment is "typically" successful for up to 6 months; if lucky, Mack may feel happy and healthy for up to a year. Then the cancer will become resistant to the treatment. However, to be able to give Mack the chance to live a better life than when he was diagnosed was something that I could not say no to.
Even since his initial treatment of chemo and steroids, Mack already seems more energetic, eating much better than he was, and even seems to have gained a few pounds (upon diagnosis we had realized he had rapidly lost weight). I am taking this as a sign that this treatment is working and am so eager to see him become the active, healthy kitty he was before (he is only 12!).
Of course, as this was unexpected, it has been quite a financial hardship on me. I am currently finishing grad school, working part time and have been placing all of the tests/treatments/appointment bills on my credit card. I, of course, would never not do this and this debt is, to me, an investment in the life of my boy. However, anything helps and if people are willing to and able to help I would be more than grateful.
These funds will also help with the future chemo treatments, blood tests, and anything else that may inevitably come up. As I am sure many of you know, Mack is my baby boy. I have had him since college, and though I knew this time would have to come, I am not ready for it to happen now. And I could never deny him the ability to live a happy and healthy life for as long as we can offer that to him.
I hope to make updates on his progress here, and now that I truly appreciate all the help you are willing to give and thank you to all the help I have already received from friends and family. It absolutely means the world to me and Mack.



For those that haven't dealt with cancer in animals, chemo is handled very differently than it is with people. Chemo is administered in smaller doses, less often and it is even in pill form. The goal of chemo is not to attack both good and bad cells in the hopes of remission; instead it is meant to keep the cancer at bay, to reduce the effects of what it is doing to the body, and the main goal is to improve the quality of the animal's life until it will not work any longer.
With renal lymphoma, this version of treatment is "typically" successful for up to 6 months; if lucky, Mack may feel happy and healthy for up to a year. Then the cancer will become resistant to the treatment. However, to be able to give Mack the chance to live a better life than when he was diagnosed was something that I could not say no to.
Even since his initial treatment of chemo and steroids, Mack already seems more energetic, eating much better than he was, and even seems to have gained a few pounds (upon diagnosis we had realized he had rapidly lost weight). I am taking this as a sign that this treatment is working and am so eager to see him become the active, healthy kitty he was before (he is only 12!).
Of course, as this was unexpected, it has been quite a financial hardship on me. I am currently finishing grad school, working part time and have been placing all of the tests/treatments/appointment bills on my credit card. I, of course, would never not do this and this debt is, to me, an investment in the life of my boy. However, anything helps and if people are willing to and able to help I would be more than grateful.
These funds will also help with the future chemo treatments, blood tests, and anything else that may inevitably come up. As I am sure many of you know, Mack is my baby boy. I have had him since college, and though I knew this time would have to come, I am not ready for it to happen now. And I could never deny him the ability to live a happy and healthy life for as long as we can offer that to him.
I hope to make updates on his progress here, and now that I truly appreciate all the help you are willing to give and thank you to all the help I have already received from friends and family. It absolutely means the world to me and Mack.



Organizer
Kelly Richmond
Organizer
San Francisco, CA