Help Audo Bite Back at Cancer

This is Audo--he's 7 years young.

I met Audo (pronounced like a posh Brooklynite spelling of “Otto”) on my 28th birthday, when this scrawny NYC rescue became Audo Beans Nguyen. He has since been by my side through all my major life transitions and milestones.

On my 34th birthday, I'll be spending the day with Audo as he fights against feline lymphoma. This has all happened very fast, and the last few weeks have been a blur of doctors’ names, lab tests, consent forms, and swiping my debit card.

He has responded well to his initial chemo treatments and is starting to regain his strength, which is the best indicator of whether he has a chance to achieve full remission. Please know I have no interest in extending Audo’s time with me if it means he will suffer, even a little bit. Chemotherapy is given at a much lower dose in animals with the goal of prolonging their quality of life—it will not make him sicker, and it won't cause him to lose his hair like we might commonly associate with human chemo. Prognosis for cats with effective treatment is anywhere between 50-70% achieving remission, with wide variation. I’ve read stories about cats who were able to make full recoveries and stay cancer-free for years past their expected prognosis. I hope this is Audo's story.

Chemotherapy is the only tool for fighting Audo's aggressive cancer. But chemo is also very expensive. Not including the cost of his hospitalization and home care, the estimated cost of a full sixteen treatments, even after insurance, will be well over $16,000.

I’m trying to raise $10,280 in donations to help cover the cost of ten life-saving chemotherapy treatments.

If Audo has taught me anything in our short time together, it is how much we all deserve love, no matter where we come from or how we grew up, no matter how imperfect we are. I have learned so much about taking up space and speaking up for what I need, however inconvenient, from loving Audo.

Please consider helping me with the cost of his medical care and sharing his story. There is no donation too small. We deeply appreciate whatever generosity you are able to give to help this scrappy New Yorker keep beating the odds.