Joshua

Two and a half years ago, Bernie was found outside a friend's house. He was starving, covered in flies, and barely able to use his back legs. He weighed just 7 pounds. Today, he's a goofy, cuddly, 10-pound cat who greets us at the door, asks to be picked up and held, and has bravely fought his way through many health challenges over the past few years. Now Bernie is facing his newest battle: cancer. A mass in his left ear has been diagnosed as ceruminous gland carcinoma, and he needs a TECA-BO (Total Ear Canal Ablation and Bulla Osteotomy), which is a surgery to remove the entire ear canal to eliminate the cancer and prevent it from spreading. While he would lose hearing in that ear, he would also have a 98% chance of being cancer-free. Bernie's Origin Story We rescued Bernie in July 2023. Our original plan was to trap, neuter, and release him. But it quickly became clear that this sweet, people-loving cat was not feral and he would not survive on his own. We then planned to get him healthy enough to be adopted or placed in a shelter. But then came his diabetes diagnosis. Bernie's blood sugar was over 480, more than three times the normal level. He needed twice-daily insulin injections and careful monitoring of his blood sugar levels. We committed to his care, doing at-home blood glucose curves, checking his levels multiple times a day, adjusting his insulin dose, and tracking everything. Thanks to our wonderful family and friends who helped us afford his insulin, Bernie went into diabetic remission! After that experience, we knew we couldn't part with him, and he became an official member of our family. Why We're Asking for Help (Again) We know we have fundraised for Bernie before and are grateful for the generosity of our friends and family. Since his diabetes fundraiser, we have covered over $7,500 in veterinary costs for an acute kidney injury (resolved and no issues), dental surgery (he still got to keep two teeth!), an echocardiogram (he has mild heart disease but doesn’t even need meds, expected to not be an issue for years), 10 vets visits for ear infections (because of the tumor), and the most recent video-otoscopic procedure to remove as much of the mass as possible. Now, the dermatologist and surgeon at the Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota (AERC) recommend a TECA-BO surgery, which gives Bernie 98% chance of being cancer-free and living a happy rest of his life. Unfortunately, this surgery is beyond what we can manage on our own. We know Bernie has had a lot of health issues, but because there is a proven option that can stop the cancer from spreading, and Bernie would be in good health after the procedure, we wanted to try asking for support in helping Bernie get over this next health hurdle. Right now, Bernie is doing better than ever and is always by our sides. It does not feel like an option to give up on him at this stage of his journey, especially after everything he's fought through and that there is a great chance that after this procedure, he could life a healthy life for many years to come. What Donations Will Cover The TECA-BO surgery and associated care at the Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota is estimated to cost between $5,600 and $7,500. This includes: Any funds raised beyond the surgery cost will go toward Bernie's post-op follow-up visits, travel to AERC in Minneapolis and his ongoing care. Thank You! We want to thank you for reading Bernie's story and to everyone who has supported him along the way. Whether you donated to his first fundraiser, are contributing to this one, or are simply sharing his story - we appreciate every bit of support! Bernie went from a sick stray that nobody wanted to the heart of our family. He has fought through parasites, diabetes, kidney failure, heart disease, and now cancer, yet through it all, he has never stopped purring, never stopped wanting to cuddle, and never stopped being the sweet, goofy cat we love so much. We're not ready to give up on him, and we hope you'll help us give Bernie the chance he deserves. ❤️ With gratitude, Mariann & Josh