The Petco Foundation, in partnership with Blue Buffalo, recently awarded a $150,000 grant investment to the Flint Animal Cancer Center to support patient care over the next two years.
Funds were provided by the Petco Foundation’s annual Pet Cancer Awareness campaign, which aims to create a better world for animals and the people who love and need them by investing wisely in organizations with the most lifesaving impact in the fight against pet cancer. The Flint Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University was fortunate to receive a previous grant investment of $350,000.
“We are grateful to the Petco Foundation and Blue Buffalo for their continued commitment to providing financial assistance to our qualified clients so that they can pursue advanced treatments for their pets,” said Dr. Rod Page, director, Flint Animal Cancer Center.
When awarded the original grant investment three years ago, the FACC clinical team decided to focus on patients with specific diagnoses that could be controlled for extended periods, but only with advanced diagnostics and treatments that cost $5,000-$10,000 or more per case, making them unattainable for many families.
“With the initial investment from the Petco Foundation, our goal was twofold,” said Page. “First, we wanted to provide patients with the best care available without regard to cost. Second, by strategically focusing on cases that would benefit the most from innovative treatment, our purpose was to add to our body of knowledge.”
In the first three years, the fund assisted 73 patients, including Teddy Bear, a Westie who received high- dose radiation to treat a nasal tumor; Lily, an Italian greyhound, diagnosed with a type of brain tumor called a meningioma, which was treated using both surgery and radiation; and Baba Ganoush, a friendly feline with a soft tissue sarcoma.
All of the cases provided an opportunity for the Flint Animal Cancer Center team to learn more about the therapeutic benefits of the treatments that would potentially benefit future patients.
After a review of the patients’ cases supported by the previous award, the clinical team decided to hone the focus of the next two years to assist with the cost of treatment for patients diagnosed with brain tumors, nasal tumors, and those who would benefit from interventional radiology and surgery techniques.
“With the new funding, our goal is to continue to provide advanced treatments to patients to improve their quality of life,” said Page. “We’re also hoping to see enough cases in each of the areas we have identified to draw conclusions about the efficacy of these therapies.”
“Through their investment, the Petco Foundation and Blue Buffalo will continue to provide meaningful support for every patient and family while also advancing our knowledge to propel treatment options for future patients.”
All inquiries about the out the Petco Foundation and Blue Buffalo Cancer Treatment Support Fund at the Flint Animal Cancer Center should be made by email to: oncology@colostate.edu.
About the Pet Cancer Awareness campaign
For 10 years, the Petco Foundation and Blue Buffalo have teamed up to raise funds to help with the costs of pet cancer treatment, provide life-saving surgeries, continue groundbreaking research for a cure, and fund clinical trials for new treatments. The campaign runs during the month of May in Petco Stores nationwide and online. For more information, visit www.petcofoundation.org/PCA.