Dunston Receives Cancer Treatment He Needed

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind and generous gift towards treatment for lymphoma for my cat Dunston.  I was heartbroken when I found out his diagnosis, and extremely stressed since the treatment that offered the best prognosis was not within my means. I love Dunston so much; he's family to me, and I wanted to provide him with the best care available.  Without your contribution I wouldn't have been able to consider optimal treatment as an option.

Best Regards,

Michele

Our Beloved Kasha

We are making this gift in memory of our beloved dog and friend Kasha. We want Dr. Eriksson and the entire BluePearl staff to know how much we appreciate their efforts to give her a good quality of life for a good period of time after she was diagnosed with kidney disease. We will always remember that. Thanks,

Lawrence

Frankie's Friends Featured on CBS 5 in Nashville

(Click the image to see the story)

by Shannon Royster

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Melanie Fauchet wants every child to have a fighting chance, so she's opened up her home.

"I have 15 children. Ten of them are adopted majority handicapped from a variety of countries," said Fauchet.

She and her husband are drowning in medical bills. "I mean we have doctor's appointments at least every week," said Fauchet.

But that didn't stop the Fauchet family from spreading their love even further.

"When we heard about Nova needing a home we just decided that would be a nice thing," said Fauchet. "He's a very friendly and nice dog."

What they didn't know is Nova too would soon need medical care.

"He chased a squirrel over a ledge and the squirrel went over and landed fine, but Nova jumped over and didn't land fine," said Fauchet.

The 2-year-old German Sheppard mix broke his leg, and it would cost $3,300 to fix it. Fortunately, financial help she didn't know existed was on the way.

"Once you apply to care credit and your care credit is denied, then we can move into the application process with Frankie's Friends." said Carla Ciuffo of Frankie's Friends.

It's a national non-profit group new to Tennessee that provides grants to qualifying pet owners.

"We can only help people if people help us," said Ciuffo. They rely on public donations to the group's Hope Fund.

Once approved for the grant, the hospital and attending vet also make a contribution.

In this case, all of Fauchet's bill will be taken care of except 500 dollars, something she said she can handle for Nova.

Frankie's Friends does not fund primary care like ear infections, teeth cleaning, vaccinations and preventative care.

Nova is expected to make a full recovery after surgery next week.

If you need help for your pet or if you would like to make a donation click here.

Email: sroyster@newschannel5.com Facebook: Facebook.com/NC5ShannonRoyster Twitter: Twitter.com/NC5_SRoyster

Speakeasy Fundraiser to help Tampa Bay’s Pets

TAMPA, Fla. – Frankie’s Friends’ third annual fundraiser to benefit Tampa Bay area pets is scheduled to be held Oct. 18, at the Centro Asturiano de Tampa. The fundraiser, Frankie’s Friends Unleashed for Hope, benefits pets whose families would otherwise not be able to afford life-saving emergency or specialty treatment.

The event begins at 6:30 p.m., when guests will travel back in time. Those attending the event are encouraged to dress in prohibition-era attire in order to fully experience the speakeasy-style party.

The event will feature music provided by the Vodkanauts band with dancing entertainment provided by Fred Astaire Dance Studio and character entertainment provided by Wiseguys InterACTive Entertainment.

Passwords to gain entrance to the speakeasy will be provided at a cost of $100 per person.

The speakeasy will feature an open bar as well as cocktail food and dessert catered from several Tampa Bay area restaurants.

Complimentary valet will be provided or free parking is available on-site.

For more information, see the Frankie’s Friends website at frankiesfriends.com or call the event hotline at 813.549.6978.

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Date: May 13, 2013 Contact: James P. Judge Media & Public Relations Manager Frankie’s Friends 813.549.7688, office james.judge@bluepearlvet.com

Thanks for more time with Winston

Although Winston lost the battle with his lymphoma, the treatments helped for a while and gave us more time with him before we lost the battle. For that time we had, we will always be grateful for Frankie's Friends' assistance. We weren't aware that there was such a wonderful organization and we plan to tell everyone about Frankie's Friends and encourage support for it.

To all the donors to Frankie's Friends: thank you with all our hearts for helping us with funding to fight our Winston's lymphoma. Your kindness will never be forgotten!

- Larry and Connie

Local Women’s Club Gives $500 to Frankie’s Friends

TAMPA, Fla. – The General Federation of Women’s Clubs Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club has donated $500 to Frankie’s Friends charitable pet foundation. The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club is an organization dedicated to strengthening the community and enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service

“Throughout their existence, women’s clubs associated with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs have made a significant impact on their local communities,” said Bonni Voiland, executive director of Frankie’s Friends. “We greatly appreciate the service of the Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club and are thankful for their generous contribution, which will help save the lives of Tampa Bay area pets.”

Frankie’s Friends is a non-profit corporation dedicated to providing life-saving emergency and specialty veterinary care to pets whose families would otherwise be unable to afford the cost of care.

Anyone interested in donating to Frankie’s Friends is encouraged to visit http://www.frankiesfriends.com

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Date: Apr. 15, 2013 Contact: James P. Judge

Media & Public Relations Manager

BluePearl Veterinary Partners

813.549.7688, office

james.judge@bluepearlvet.com

MEDIA RELEASE

Frankie's Friends Helps Save Dog that Saved Owner

I wasn't sure I was ready to get another dog when I came upon my 9-month-old puppy, Baby. We had recently lost our beloved English mastiff, Oz, to osteosarcoma about 6 months prior. That was very hard for us. I rescued Baby from the Humane Society when he was just 3-months-old and fell in love with all 3 pounds of him! It was a big change going from the world's biggest dog in my 180 lb mastiff to the world's smallest at just 3 pounds.

I should really say that Baby rescued me. I was diagnosed with Lupus two months prior to finding Baby. With Lupus it's hard sometimes to just get out of bed and function. The pain and fatigue takes a toll on you physically, mentally and emotionally.

Having Baby in my life forced me to get up and get moving no matter how hard it was. I started taking Baby for walks and taking him to the dog park every Sunday morning no matter how bad I felt and over time I started to feel better. I looked forward to our Sundays at the dog park. I couldn't wait to come home to him after work and he was always happy to see me.

Baby goes everywhere with me that I can take him. He sleeps with me at night and when the alarm goes off, he comes right up to me and rolls over in my arms for cuddle time and belly rubs . It's the only thing about mornings I like. Baby follows me around everywhere, he never leaves my side.

One day, Baby just wasn't his energetic self, you could tell he didn't feel good and was vomiting. I took him to BluePearl around midnight one night and he had to stay over night. I got a call the next day that Baby had an obstruction and needed surgery right away. After the surgeon explained it to me and told me how much it would cost, I broke down.

I didn't have the money and had no idea how I would get it. I was over whelmed with grief and the feelings I had of losing Oz a year earlier.

I called friends, family, my credit card companies and there was just not enough funds to cover his surgery. I was pretty much inconsolable, time was critical to get Baby back into surgery. I had no other options. My puppy was going to die because I didn't have the money to save his life after he had brought so much into my life.

You couldn't imagine that feeling, that's when I was told about Frankie's Friends and how the remarkable doctors donated the rest of the money to save Baby's life. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe the generosity of strangers to help save my puppy. I am forever in their debt and will most definitely pay it forward in honor of Baby and Oz. Baby spent three nights in the hospital and had the best of care. He recovered quickly and is back to his playful, fun self.

I thank you Frankie's Friends and all the staff from the bottom of my heart for saving my Baby.

Forever in your debt,

Laura

Layla Has Foreign Object Removed with Frankie's Friends Help

Frankie’s Friends, It’s hard to really express our appreciation for the assistance from this wonderful organization. Our cat, Layla, is an amazing gift, and we have been continuing to enjoy and love our time with her since the very second she was brought back home after foreign object surgery.

Since we took in Layla we noticed right away she had a destructive nature, much like that of a puppy. One of her usual routines is to drag her litter box, on its mat, right out of the bathroom in her mouth. We have already hidden half of the things in our home. The second we missed a neat new object on the ground she took advantage of the situation, which was the cause for her emergency surgery.

Despite her need to search and destroy, it is a riot to watch along with her many other unique qualities. One of the best qualities is that Layla has always been so loving. Not a lap cat, per say, but she certainly doesn’t lack expressing it in her own special way. Since the surgery her love for us has grown in new ways and we are so grateful that we get to experience that affection everyday.

Without Frankie’s Friends this horrible mistake could not have been reversed. We will be forever grateful for this opportunity, and have already begun to spread the word. We cannot wait to be able to give back to this amazing foundation.

We are true believers that pets are the most unconditional love you will ever get to experience, and because of Frankie’s Friends and the surgery Layla received, we get to experience that with her for many, many more years to come.

Deepest Gratitude,

Chelsey & Julian

Frankie's Friends Helps New York City Dog That Swallowed 111 Pennies

By Katie Kindelan

A Jack Russell terrier who took the phrase, “keep the change,” very literally is recovering in New York City today after swallowing more than 111 pennies.

The dog, appropriately named Jack, swallowed at least $1.11 in change last weekend while his owner, Tim Kelleher, wasn’t looking, according to Dr. Amy Zalcman, the senior emergency doctor at BluePearl Veterinary Partners who oversaw Jack’s treatment.

Kelleher took Jack to the BluePearl clinic in Manhattan Saturday afternoon after he noticed the pennies were gone and his dog was sick and vomiting.

X-rays performed on the 13-year-old dog immediately showed a collection of pennies inside his body so veterinarians performed an endoscopy, using a camera to locate the pennies.  It took an internal  medicine specialist nearly two hours to remove all of the 111 pennies still left in Jack’s system.  The doctor removed them four to five at a time, grabbing them with the scope and placing them in an attached basket, according to Zalcman.

“I would say he’s a very lucky dog,” she told ABCNews.com.  “First, that we were able to get them all out by scope and not surgery, and that he hasn’t had any secondary signs of zinc toxicity.”

Owner Kelleher told the New York Daily News his “voracious Tasmanian devil” of a pet was going after a bagel when he got the pennies instead.

“He climbed on my desk to get at the bag with the bagel and knocked the change all over the floor,” said Kelleher, who could not be reached today by ABCNews.com.  “While he was licking up the crumbs, he swallowed the pennies.”

Zalcman said the zinc pennies could have caused damage to Jack’s kidneys, liver and red blood cells and eventually blocked his intestines, especially given the amount that he swallowed.

“We certainly see pennies consumed by dogs but not in this magnitude,” she said.  “That’s what is so extreme about this case.”

Jack’s owner said his dog is back to his normal self after the nearly $2,500 procedure, part of which was paid for by Tampa-based Frankie’s Friends, an animal charity.

“He’s driving me crazy again,” Kelleher told the Daily News.

Sadie May on the Road to Recovery Thanks to Frankie's Friends

Dear Frankie's Friends, In the beginning of January our precious English mastiff, Sadie May, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a very aggressive bone cancer. Our family was devastated. Our options were explained to us by the veterinarian, but unfortunately most were outside our financial capabilities, and that broke our hearts. Everyday became more of a struggle as Sadie's pain got increasingly worse. After talking to several different veterinary hospitals, we got a glimmer of hope from Michigan Veterinary Specialists in Grand Rapids, MI. They told us about Frankie's Friends and within 24 hours of hearing back from them Sadie was in surgery for amputation or her back leg, to remove her tumor and main source of pain.

I cannot begin to explain how blessed we feel to have received the support that we did from your foundation. Sadie is much more comfortable and noticeably happier and that means so much to us! We can't wait for her to recover so we can get back to the dog park and play with all her doggie friends. Without your generous help that may not have been possible.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

-Jake, Brianna & Sadie May

Charlie Suffers Seizure, Receives Emergency Help From Frankie's Friends

Charlie is my 3-year-old English mastiff who had occasional seizures.  We recently moved from Kentucky to Tampa. She seemed to be handling the move well until one morning around 5 a.m. She began to have a seizure that simply would not stop.  She seized on and off for almost three hours before we could get her to BluePearl.

She weighs in at about 150lbs and we had moved into an apartment complex on the 3rd floor, so moving her was next to impossible.

Once at BluePearl, Dr. Shreve took wonderful care of her along with the other staff members.

We had only been in Florida for less than a week and I had not started working yet, so we were living on a very small budget, one that certainly did not allow for a pet emergency!

Dr. Shreve offered us some assistance through the hope fund.  Two months later and Charlie is still seizure free and back to her old self again.  I am so thankful for the great staff at BluePearl and the assistance we received through the Hope Fund.  Thank you again for all that you do!!!

- Victoria

Mexico Max Gets a Scholarship to Life

Frankie's Friends is amazing! My, thinks he is a black lab, Mexico Max from Chelem, Mexico (a Yucatan rescue dog), has a colorful past including two near misses with death! The grace of God saved him. Now he has been diagnosed, at the age of six, with multiple myeloma. The doctor, Joshua Lachowicz, a truly excellent oncologist with the BluePearl Veterinary Partners hospital in New York, is a kind and compassionate man.

He instantly took steps to put me in touch with Frankie's Friends. Within 24 hours you had checked my rapidly waning finances and granted him the financing to help get the treatment he needed.

I am a 72-year-old woman. I have had four surgeries for cancer this year and have been unable to work. I was despairing because I wanted Max to have the quality care I was receiving and you brought sunshine and hope to our lives!

What you have given us is the feeling that we can cope with this, that we are not alone and that there are people out there who truly care about animals (as well as their doting owners) and The Agnes Varis charitable fund has made that possible.

My incalculable gratitude, thanks and support for you will be there always. And Max --- he tells me he "got a scholarship to life!!

Sincerely yours,

Ellen and Max

Sassy and Bailey: Twice the Love, Twice the Appreciation for Frankie’s Friends Help

Our family can’t begin to express our sincere gratitude to veterinarian oncologist Dr. Jen Coyle for the unexpected, but much appreciated gift she coordinated through Frankie’s Friends for our beloved four-legged canines Sassy and Bailey Martin. Receiving news from Dr. Coyle, that our sweet 5-year-old golden retriever, Bailey, was diagnosed with cancer, was devastating. After 14 months of intensive treatments,  Bailey's progress was optimistic. Our joy turned quickly to sadness as our six year old black lab mix, Sassy, was also diagnosed with cancer.

Due to a corporate downsizing, our two-income household was decreased to a one-income household only. With this unexpected  financial hardship, we spent many a sleepless night worrying how we’d be able to treat both Sassy and Bailey.

We didn’t have to worry for very long. Dr. Coyle let us know we were the recipients of the gift of Frankie’s Friends for both dogs. It was the best news we’d had in a very long time.

The level of professionalism given to Sassy and Bailey by the BluePearl staff in Tampa -- Jen, Jamie, Amy, Emily and Robert -- will never be forgotten. The care, love and devotion Courtney, Trish, Amy and Megan from Blue Pearl in Brandon gave Sassy and Bailey never went unnoticed.

Dr. Coyle’s dedication, optimism and warmth along with the unexpected gift she facilitated through Frankie’s Friends enabled Sassy and Bailey to receive the much needed extended treatments.

This unselfish gesture from all of the BluePearl staff afforded our family more time spent with  Sassy and Bailey. And for that, our family will be forever grateful.

Karen & Larry

ALL HEART: Maverick’s Story

A champion snuggler, vocal “conversationalist” and little girl’s best friend, 9-year-old Maverick had already been granted a second-chance on life when the his family adopted him from a Georgia shelter in 2003. But by late 2012 his boundless energy had inexplicably begun to disappear, leaving owner Jennifer  to wonder if Maverick was simply settling into old-age or if something more ominous was happening. Thanks to tests by the family's primary care vet and collaboration with Georgia Veterinary Specialists, the dog received a critically important diagnosis: complete heart block, a relatively rare condition that was preventing vital, beat-regulating signals from reaching Maverick’s heart, slowing it—and him—to a slug’s pace. A pacemaker would be the only remedy; without one, Maverick would likely have less than six months to live. With the device, he could enjoy a long, normal life.

The family was devastated but resigned to do anything needed to help their furry family member. Unfortunately layoffs and the financial strain of a new business had left the family without the resources to pay for the surgery their pet so desperately needed. Frankie’s Friends gave Maverick the chance he deserved. In partnership with GVS and thanks to donations, Maverick received a pacemaker. Maverick is now thriving, and Jennifer insists “he’s just like a puppy again.” GVS cardiologist Dr. Brandon Pogue adds “The ability of Frankie's Friends to provide funds to help Maverick and his family receive an ultimately life-saving therapy has been such a great experience.”

Maverick's family considers his recovery a gift, and that’s exactly what it is. The gift of life for dogs and cats with treatable illnesses but from loving families who cannot afford their care—a gift only you can make. Jennifer adds, “We are not ones to ask for charity or handouts. That is why we were so thankful to learn about Frankie’s Friends. Knowing that there was a way for us to save Maverick and take some of the financial burden off was a huge relief.  I truly believe that what goes around comes around.”

Pets are all heart. In this case, it also took a few generous human ones to bring Maverick’s back to life. Can you be one of them for another pet and family in need? Make a donation to Frankie's Friends today and direct it to the Georgia Hope Fund to help more local pets like Maverick !

Abilene Receives Help From Frankie's Friends

Thank you to BluePearl in NYC for telling us about Frankie's Friends and helping us and our lovely little dog, Abilene, who required emergency surgery to remove her left eye after she was attacked by another dog. It made all the difference in the world to us. And Abilene is happy and thriving. What a wonderful organization!

Bronwyn & Michael

Gusto Gets Special Gift of Life From Frankie's Friends

Dear Frankie's Friends, There really aren't words enough to thank you for giving our baby Gusto a second chance at life.  He is being treated by the greatest group of people at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Tampa. Special thanks to our Oncologist Dr. Kane for his professionalism and to our family clinician Dr. Trakas from Country Chase Veterinary in Tampa who recommended the good people at BluePearl.  When we found out that Frankie's Friends could help, we were literally in tears.  If it wasn't for your caring outreach and dedication to helping those  in need, we would have had to of foregone the chemotherapy that Gusto needed for his lymphoma.

Now, however, with your special gift of life to Gusto, he is doing extremely well in his therapy, and the prognosis is looking excellent.  We can't thank you enough for your help.  We will forever be indebted to Frankie's Friends for all that you've done and will continue to do through the remainder of his treatment.

God bless you all.

Best Regards and Special Thanks,

Suzy and Chris

Eddie the American bulldog

This is the story of our puppy, Eddie.

My husband knew he wanted a dog, so he did a lot of research on several different types of dogs.  He wanted a dog with a good temperament, since we do have grandchildren.  So in April 2011, he found a breeder, Matt, of American bull dogs and English bull dogs.

The first time we saw Eddie, he was in the pen with his sisters and brothers, and he had the most calm demeanor of all the puppies.  He then looked up at us and reached up on the side of the pen to be picked up.

We brought our puppy home and he became the spoiled puppy of the neighborhood, park, hardware store, grocery store, and even 7-Eleven.

On Jan. 8, 2013, we took Eddie to his vet, because he seemed to be panting more then normal and was not sleeping well at night. They started running a lot of tests on him, of which, all came back negative.

We were visiting the vet almost on a daily basis. The following week I had to go out of town. My husband became more concerned as his condition continued to deteriorate.  When I came back from my trip the following Saturday, my husband and puppy picked me up from the airport. Eddie was having a hard time breathing and his tongue was blue, so we took him straight to the emergency room.

The vet on call that night told us that we had a very sick puppy, and that he needed specialized treatment. That is the first time we heard about BluePearl. It turns out, Eddie had lymphoma in his chest, abdomen and liver.  We were happy we finally had a diagnosis, but totally stressed out as to how to pay for this. My husband is on dialysis and I am the only one working and maintaining the household.  We did not have pet insurance, as we were trying to find a policy that would work into our limited budget.

Frankie's Friends is a Godsend for us, because without it, I do not know how we could pay for his treatments.

We all love our animals, and I really thought we were going to lose our puppy.

Thank you for being there.

Cheryl

Hemingway has Successful Procedure Thanks to Zeus Varis Fund

There are not enough words my fiance and I could use to adequately thank you for the assistance you gave us when we found out our 7-year-old cat, Hemingway, was diagnosed with high grade hemangiosarcoma in his rear left leg.  Thanks to your support, Hemingway had a successful amputation and is now undergoing chemotherapy with a bright future ahead of him.

Hemingway is such a special part of our family.  I adopted him in Saranac Lake, NY when it became clear to me that my dog -- Patrick, who I also adopted after he was rescued from two separate abusive homes -- needed a constant but calm companion.

The shelter was having trouble getting a kitten named Squiggles adopted because he had extra toes and a crooked tail.  He and I fell in love right away, I renamed him Hemingway for his extra toes, and he was happily accepted and raised by the dog.  As a result, Hemingway is very friendly and brave; he loves when we have visitors as much as he loves a good snuggle on a quiet night at home.  He even plays fetch better than Patrick does!

As a teacher who has been forced to work part-time, who is engaged to a self-employed artist and entrepreneur, your support and sponsorship in Hemingway's time of need was very much needed.  Without the help from your foundation, I don't think Hemingway would be alive today.  We are so very grateful to you and we -- our whole family, human and animal alike -- send you our deepest thanks.

Fondest regards,

Norah

Lucy Gets Last Minute Life-Saving Surgery From Frankie's Friends

On Dec. 16, 2012, we rushed Lucy, a fawn colored American mastiff (she's quite the looker!), to the Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners in Manhattan with seizures. She has epilepsy that is generally controlled very well with her daily medications. However, this particular evening she had eight seizures in 90 minutes. We got her to BluePearl as soon as possible. Once Lucy was stabilized and the seizures under control, the doctors found that Lucy had a foreign object in her stomach. She had swallowed a glove. Because the glove was blocking her intestines, her medications were not being delivered to her system properly which brought about the cluster of seizures.  Now that everything had been figured out and she was ready to have the surgery to remove the glove, came the financial estimate for surgery.

Needless to say it was way beyond our means at the time. We agonized over night and the next morning. Finally we had resigned ourselves to having Lucy euthanized. It was the hardest decision either of us have ever made. Our Lucy, our sweet, sweet Lucy was not going to get the surgery that she so desperately needed and we were completely helpless to do anything about it.

It was the most awful, gut-wrenching, helpless feeling I've ever felt. Completely lost.  As we were readying ourselves for the subway ride to BluePearl to visit Lucy and say goodbye, my phone rang. It was Dr. Gibeon, that morning's attending vet, with news that Frankie's Friends by way of Dr. Amanda Owens had granted the funding required to save Lucy. We couldn't believe it! Trying to put the feeling of hearing that into words is impossible. I've tried so many times.

"Thank you" doesn't seem like enough, but it's the simplest and most honest. So, thank you.

THANK YOU!!!   THANK YOU!!!   THANK YOU!!!   THANK YOU!!!   THANK YOU!!!

- Robert & Jim

The Zeus Varis Fund Helps Our Hero "Ayashe"

Thank you so much for all that you have done for Ayashe. She is very appreciative of your help, as is her mommy and daddy. I (Monique) am Native American and being proud of my heritage, wanted her name to mean something special. Ayashe is a Native word meaning little one. Ayashe also happens to be a Cree hero (though it is spelled a little differently).

Ayashe was adopted by us on Mother’s Day 2004 when she six months old. She was a stray who was found on a fire escape. The North Shore Animal League mobile home was parked not to far from our home. We went in and of all the cats there, we fell in love with her immediately. She came into our home that very same day after a visit to Dr. Halpern at Lefferts Animal Hospital in Queens. Well, as soon as she walked through the door, she let the world know that this was now her home. It was like she had always been there. She never really got out of the habit of being up high, as we would find her on the table, on top of the computer, dresser and in the window. We learned that she doesn’t just like looking at birds, but she likes to ‘bark’ at them. The first time she barked at a bird from the window, I could have sworn we had a dog in the house instead of a cat.

She is a very loving cat who takes over the room when she’s in it. She also takes over the bed, but then what pet doesn’t? She’s a happy little girl. We love her very much. Everyday she gives us unconditional love. She is more than a pet. She is family. We are so very fortunate to have her in our lives, and we are equally fortunate to have Frankie’s Friends, and the folks at the Zeus Varis Fund in our lives as well. This is the best Christmas gift we could have ever received.

Again, thanks from Ayashe, Monique, and Daniel!