Custos is truly a gift

To Dr. Myers, Dr. Ball, Dr. Birchard, Jessica, Heidi, Hannah, Danni and everyone else at BluePearl and Frankie’s Friends: My best friend is still here today thanks to you! Custos is truly a gift, he warms hearts and brings light and laughter with him everywhere he goes.

Through this experience I have learned that true hero’s don’t fly around in costumes saving the world…. They show up to work every day in scrubs or polo, taking care of those we love and saving lives. All of you have gone above and beyond for my boy, me and our little family and keeping it whole. There will come a day when I will have to say goodbye to one of the best friends I have ever had, but thanks to all of you - today isn’t that day.

There are no words to adequately convey just how grateful and thankful we are to you.

Sincerely, Jeremy, Custos and Cado

Elvis' family says "thank you!"

 

Dear Dr. Goldberg,

I can’t think of the appropriate words to thank you for everything you did for me and my beloved Chihuahua, Elvis. Thanks to your generosity and Frankie’s Friends Hope Fund, a portion of the financial burden vanished. I will be forever grateful for the outstanding medical care you and all of the staff at Blue Pearl provided Elvis, but I am especially thankful for the gift you arranged through Frankie’s Friends Hope Fund.

I recognize that funding is available only through donations and that in this economy, charities are faced with increased difficulty in meeting demand. I look forward to being able to make a donation to Frankie’s Friends Hope Fund in your honor as soon as I am able to do so.

With sincere gratitude,

Taylor Lawson and Elvis

 

"We cherish every extra day we have with our sweet Rosie!"

I want to say thank you to the Zeus Varis Fund of Frankies Friends. Our dog Rosie had such a rough start when we adopted her as a puppy, three years ago. She had very little hair due to a bad case of mange and was very sick. We nursed her back to health, then she grew into a strong, beautiful dog. Last month when we found out she had Lymphoma, we were told there was no way we could save her this time, we were devastated. Also, we just had our first child back in January, a baby girl named Julia, and money has been extremely tight. So we didn't think that costly treatments were even an option at that point. As we were about to give up hope, we heard about Blue Pearl and went in for a consultation. Dr Oberthaler told us about the Frankie's Friends. I am so thankful for your organization.

We were given the best gift of all, and that is for Rosie to be part of our family for longer than we thought. I will always have a huge place in my heart for everyone at The Zeus Varis Fund of Frankies Friends, and BluePearl. In the days since Rosie's first treatment she has been running, playing, swimming, and most importantly eating! We cherish every extra day we have with our sweet Rosie, and we can not thank you enough. The improvement in Rosie's health over the past few days and seeing her happy and back to her old self is priceless, this would not have been possible without the support from you.

It is hard to put into words how grateful we all are to be able to share some more time with our dog. Thank you so much for your help. Rosie's family June 2012

More happy and healthy years for Hunter!

Dear friends at the Zeus Varis fund, A big heartfelt thank you for your most generous support! I adopted my beagle Hunter, seven and a half years ago. With your support, Hunter will be able to receive the radiation therapy she needs, so that she and I can enjoy many more happy and healthy years together!

Sincerely, Hunter and the rest of the Itzhak family May 25, 2012

Olive by John Cannon

This portrait is of Olive.

If you are wondering why her eyes look unusual, it is because Olive was abused. Her eyes gouged out. She was also shot with pellets and was then left to die. Luckily, someone found her and brought her to a Veterinary hospital, another human at the hospital adopted Olive and got her treated back to life. Olive's new owner gave her a wonderful home and for four and a half years.

Mr. Cannon comments, "despite all she had been through, you can tell that Olive was happy with the humans who took her in and saved her. I am so proud that this was the first pet portrait I've painted through my partnership with Frankie's Friends. I am proud to have painted Olive and for the wonderful people who saved her."

Buddy by John Cannon

Buddy is John's companion, whom he lost three months ago.

Mr. Cannon explains, "I’ve got him filled in with the necessary lights and darks to get his shape. He had a lot of fur, so that is rather impressionistic, and does depict how he looked. He was a true canine angel, and I’ve tried my very best to capture a bit of his 'doganality.' I hope I’ve done him justice."

Bandit and Copper by John Cannon

This is Bandit and Copper by artist John Cannon.

This piece, along with several other pet portraits and artwork will be on display throughout summer at BluePearl Veterinary Partners pet hospital located in Brentwood, Tennessee. Thirty percent of the artwork proceeds will be donated to Frankie’s Friends. There will also be 8×10″ and full size prints available, with proceeds going to Frankie’s Friends.

Ella by John Cannon

 

This is Ella by John Cannon.

This piece, along with several other pet portraits and artwork will be on display throughout summer at BluePearl Veterinary Partners pet hospital located in Brentwood, Tennessee. Thirty percent of the artwork proceeds will be donated to Frankie’s Friends. There will also be 8×10″ and full size prints available, with proceeds going to Frankie’s Friends.

Buffy by John Cannon

 

This portrait is of Buffy.

John painted this pet portrait for a friend of Frankie's Friends.

Mr. Cannon explains, "This dog has been blessed with very nice owners. In fact, her owners have six dogs, she lives in a great home, she gets (and gives) a lot of love. This was a cute puppy pose of the little girl asleep, and I think I captured her sweetness. I love painting puppies (and cats, too)!"

Your Support Makes it Possible

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qps1G7JMi4 This video tells the heartwarming stories of three pets who were able to receive the life-saving treatments they needed because of people's generous donations to Frankie's Friends.

Blitz's family says "thank you!"

Dear Frankie's Friends, My dog is alive today because of your organization!

Blitz got very sick and we brought him to BluePearl veterinary hospital. He was diagnosed with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia and the doctors found something lodged in his stomach. Blitz needed endoscopy,  but we weren't able to pay for it. We are so thankful that Dr. Myers told us about Frankie's Friends.

Thank you Frankie's Friends, thank you for saving Blitz.

God Bless!!

Sincerely, Blitz's family

Frankie's Friend by John Cannon

John was inspired by our organization to paint this specific portrait, he named it Frankie’s Friend.

This piece, along with several other pet portraits and artwork will be on display throughout summer at BluePearl Veterinary Partners animal hospital located in Brentwood, Tennesse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Artist John Cannon's portraits help Frankie's Friends help pet owners

Combination of art, charity covers owners' bills FRANKLIN — Fine artist John Cannon, whose studio/gallery is located in The Factory at Franklin, is teaming up with Brentwood’s Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners and a nonprofit organization, Frankie’s Friends, to help save pets’ lives.

The purchase of commissioned pet portraits, as well as the artist’s current show at Blue Pearl, along with selected pieces at his Franklin gallery, will result in 30 percent of sales going to Frankie’s Friends, which offers assistance to people who are suddenly faced with unexpected pet crises and who are unable to afford life-saving treatment.

Matt Laing, hospital administrator for Blue Pearl’s four Middle Tennessee locations, said there’s no planning ahead for a pet that needs to be rushed to a pet emergency facility as a result of injury or in need of life saving treatment for a diagnosis of cancer.

“Some people have pet insurance, but many are caught facing significant veterinary bills just out of the blue,” he said. “Think of the dilemma someone can face in this difficult economy. Do you feed your family or save your pet? Frankie’s Friends can step in to help in such situations.”

Kristy Hemp, development director in Tennessee for the Florida-based charitable organization, says she well identifies with that kind of crisis.

“When our cat, Zorro, was only 1 year old, he suddenly had a significant medical crisis,” she said.

“We took him to an emergency clinic. At first they suspected cancer. As it turned out it was not, but saving his life cost us literally thousands of dollars. Fortunately, we had just received a tax refund and we used it all on his treatment; I don’t know what we would have done otherwise.”

Artist knows the joy and the pain of pets

Cannon, a lifelong pet lover, lost his beloved 13-year-old dog, Buddy, three months ago. Though he was not faced with a financial crisis, he says he well knows the joy pets bring and the pain of losing them. Already an artist who enjoys painting pet portraits, he says he was thrilled when Frankie’s Friends contacted him about helping the organization by donating a portion from the sale of his paintings.

“Over the years I have rescued so many pets and loved so many, to help in any way to save pets’ lives is so wonderful,” said the artist. “The work this organization is doing is just fabulous. I’m as excited as I can be to take part.”

He is often commissioned to do pet portraits; now a portion of those commissions goes to Frankie’s Friends.

“If a pet is deceased, I of course do the portraits from the family’s pictures. Otherwise, I like to meet the pets and get a sense of their personalities. I also shoot photos of them during that meeting, and I work from those as well as pictures provided by the family. It’s a real joy to create the portraits,” says the artist, who taught English and then practiced law for 25 years.

“I studied art as an undergrad, then obtained a master’s in English, taught school and didn’t enjoy it. So I became an attorney and spent my career there. All those years, I kept drawing — and remained drawn to art,” he said.

A decade ago he began studying art again and started painting. Six years ago, he opened John Cannon Fine Arts in The Factory. Two years ago he stopped practicing law and fulfilled his lifelong dream — he became a full-time artist.

Emergency vet practice expands

While Cannon was finding his dream, veterinarians in Brentwood were finding their own.

Three years ago, Pet Emergency Treatment Services had three doctors seeking to expand emergency and critical care.

“We found the Blue Pearl system, based in Florida. It was a good fit for what we wanted to do here. We joined what was then an organization of three hospitals. Now there are 27 across the country,” said Laing.

Now the Brentwood practice has 15 physicians offering 24-hour emergency services and maintains satellite facilities in Goodlettsville and 12th Avenue South in Nashville. A fourth opens next month in Murfreesboro.

“Our specialists go to those other clinics by appointment; we look forward to growing all of them to be 24-hour emergency centers,” Laing said.

Blue Pearl’s vets also specialize in cancer, cardiology, internal medicine, radiology, surgery and rehabilitation. They frequently work by referral from area veterinarians.

The area Blue Pearl facilities join the founding Florida hospital in working with Freddie’s Friends to find funding for families in need of financial assistance to provide life-saving care for their pets.

Charity program dates to 1996

In 1996, the founding physician of the forerunner of Blue Pearl started Veterinary Cancer Foundation to help clients facing huge medical bills in the treatment for their pets with cancer.

In 2008, the foundation’s name was changed to Frankie’s Friends to honor Frankie, a greyhound who died in 2007 after battling heart disease and cancer since 2000. Frankie’s family made a significant donation to the foundation and continues to be generous supporters.

The local Blue Pearl facilities began working with Frankie’s’ Friends to benefit their patients, and this past April, the organization hired Hemp to establish a full-time presence here.

“Frankie’s Friends recognized right away the dedication in this area by people to their pets,” Hemp said. “Blue Pearl only had some printed materials in their offices; the level of interest and support they garnered prompted them to establish here. All monies raised for Frankie’s Friends here stays here to help area families and their pets.”

Requests can be evaluated quickly

Laing says while Blue Pearl also works with a number of other pet charities in the area to assist their clients, that work can often take precious days to get financial decisions on assistance.

“Sometimes days — even hours — are critical in saving a pet’s life. Frankie’s Friends can evaluate requests immediately and offer help within the same day,” he said.

As Frankie’s Friends steps in, Blue Pearl also discounts fees by at least 25 percent.

“We ask that the families participate at some level financially, but certainly it is our goal to save those pets’ lives. Often people who are in temporary tough financial times come back when their situation improves and give back so other animals can be saved,” he said.

Mural in Brentwood depicts 'Tree of Life'

Frankie’s Friends’ local initiative is painting a huge mural in the Brentwood’s hospital of “The Tree of Life,” with leaves that bear pets’ names and messages.

Smaller leaves are $100 each and larger are $150 each. All donations are tax deductible.

“The leaves can be in memory of a beloved lost pet or in celebration of a healthy vibrant pet. You need not be a Blue Pearl client to buy a leaf nor to come enjoy and/or purchase a piece of John Cannon’s art from his collection hanging in the lobby. His pieces range from $100 to $1,000 and encompass broad subject matter — from pets to landscapes,” Hemp said.

Tony is now cancer free!

Thanks to the Zeus Varis Fund, My family and I are all so grateful to have received the funding for Tony .We thank you so much for making this possible. We wouldn't have been able to afford the chemo treatments and give Tony the proper care that he needed. Your generosity and kindness made it possible to survive Tony and prayerfully make him cancer free. You have given him a chance to live and for his family and I to have him in our lives as long as possible. We would be so lost without him. He is our joy and brings us all so much happiness. Tony is more than a pet, he is such an important part of our family.

Sincerely, Tony's Family 2012

Angel is receiving the help she needs

To the dear people who are responsible for this foundation: Angel is 9 years old and was diagnosed with a mast cell tumor in 2011.  She underwent surgery and it returned in January 2012.  She needs chemotherapy in order to stop this from growing.

If it wasn't for your fund, I would not be able to afford the treatment.

I feel truly blessed to receive this gift.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart,

Karen and Angel

More time with Lucy

To all at Frankie's Friends - Zeus Varis, Thank you so much for your wonderful assistance, care and consideration for my girl, Lucy. Without Frankie's Friends none of the care she needed could have been possible. Together you have given me more time with Lucy. You are a Godsend foundation.

Thanks, with love and appreciation, John and Lucy 2012

Joey: Recovering from Cancer

Thank you for all the efforts that you, Dr. Lachowicz and the rest of the NYC Veterinary Specialists team have made in helping my Joey recover from cancer. I am so grateful to Frankie's Friends for their kind and generous support; without Frankie's Friends, this would not have happened. Thank you. With much gratitude, Jean Rhode and Joey May 22, 2011

Samantha Fighting Cancer

Dr. Varis, I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write this letter.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me with Samanatha's cancer medical bills. If it weren't for your help, I would not have been able to continue with her chemo treatments. I am 82 years old, I am in a wheel chair and I live alone. Sammy is my watch dog and my companion.

Again, thank you for helping my beloved Sammy.

Yours Truly, Samantha's Family