Help Maya Beat Cancer!!

Introduction

Hi Everyone! Welcome to Maya's GoFundMe, we cannot thank you enough for stopping by! Before getting into Maya's history and the details of her current condition, I'd like to introduce myself and give you all a brief synopsis, as I'm sure this will end up being quite lengthy! My name is Emily, I am 26 years old, I live in Brooklyn, NY, and I work in marketing. I started searching for my perfect rescue pup about one year ago, but due to Covid, it was nearly impossible! I was determined to "adopt not shop," and after months and months, my patience paid off, and I met Maya! Erring on the side of caution, I took Maya in as a foster... but of course, we know how that turned out! At this point, Maya has been diagnosed with Metastatic Mammary Adenocarcinoma and the most promising course of action to extend her lifespan is to undergo Chemotherapy.

Now, into the thick of it!

Maya's History

We do not know too much about Maya's history, but we know that she was found by the NYC ACC abandoned and starving in an empty apartment. Maya had not been spayed at the time of her rescue, and we believe she had been used for breeding many litters of puppies. It is essential to know that not spaying a dog dramatically increases their chances of Mammary Cancer down the road. Unfortunately, when Small Bites Rescue rescued Maya, they discovered just that. Of the four tumors removed, two were cancerous; one was a low-grade tumor removed with clear margins, and the other was a grade 2 tumor removed with narrow margins. Upon consulting with a Veterinary Oncologist, we were told that the chances of this kind of cancer returning were less than 4%! Thrilled, I signed the adoption paperwork on the spot, and so our journey together began.

Uh-Oh... What are these lumps?

After my first few months with Maya, I noticed some unusual lumps on her belly, right alongside where the stitches from her last surgery had been. I took her to the Vet the following day, and the news I ended up receiving was devastating. While the lumps on her tummy turned out to be infected scar tissue that a simple round of antibiotics would remedy, my Vet decided to do a routine chest x-ray to ensure there had been no spread since her last checkup a few months prior. This x-ray showed a tumor on one of her lungs that had not been there previously.

To The Oncologist, We Go!

Maya is fortunate to have a well-connected Vet who was able to swiftly get her in to see one of the best Veterinary Oncologists in the country. Up to Connecticut, we ventured, and Maya was put under anesthesia for a CT scan (total cost: $3,300.) Typically, when a dog has Metastatic spread to the lungs there are many nodules, most of which are missed by x-rays. One week later when we received the results from the CT scan, we were thrilled to learn that Maya did not have any additional nodules on her lungs. Could it be possible that this was not a Metastatic spread, but a primary lung tumor, instead? If so, her prognosis would be dramatically better. However, the only way to find out was to go through another surgery.

Open Chest Surgery

In order to determine what kind of cancer was on Maya's lung, she underwent surgery on September 15th ($3,500.)To say I was a mess going into this would be an understatement! The surgery went smoothly, and she stayed at the hospital for two nights before coming home. Luckily, I was able to go visit, which is when I took the above photo. The recovery process was more intense than I anticipated, with Maya not able to jump, play, or walk for more than 5 minutes for a two-week period. I began to worry that she would never act like her normal self again... but of course, she proved my anxious thoughts wrong! After 3 long weeks, Maya was running around like the crazy girl we know and love!

The bad news? About ten days after surgery, the biopsy results came back. I waited with bated breath, hopeful, but knowing, that primary lung cancer in dogs is extremely rare. My worst fear was confirmed: Maya's mammary cancer had metastasized to her lungs. If left untreated, she would likely only live another few months.

Chemotherapy

As I mentioned earlier, we are very lucky to be patients of one of the best Veterinary Oncologists in the country. Her recommendation was to blast the aggressive form of cancer with equally aggressive forms of chemotherapy, called Flourouracil and Carboplatin. For the first four weeks of treatment, Maya would receive her intervenous chemo weekly until moving to once every three weeks for 4-6 months. At the end of the treatment, we will do x-rays to make sure her lungs are still clear, and then proceed to monitor her closely. This could give Maya years of life, but unfortunately, this treatment does not come cheap... in fact, the estimate total cost is between $8,000-$10,000.

The Ask!

Between the CT scan, lung surgery, and first month of chemo, we have already paid roughly $7,000 in veterinary medical bills. We are so close to getting Maya through her treatment so that she can have a shot at having the happy life she has always deserved. We can't do it alone, though! Any help you can offer, we appreciate so, so deeply.

Thank you!