Our Beautiful Benny
Last year at this time, we were a family of six -- Jess, Mike, and our four dogs (Molly, Benny, Cleo, and Bruce). Unfortunately, Molly passed away on Sept. 24, 2022 due to cancer of the gallbladder. We were heartbroken -- Molly was our first baby and blessed us with her presence for over 15 years. But we understood that it was her time to cross the rainbow bridge and she had lived a very full life.
But on Sept. 14, 2023, our family's world re-shattered. Doctors found a tumor on Benny's spleen and liver and it is rapidly spreading. They believe it to be a hemangiosarcoma, which grows so quickly, surgery would only hurt our sweet boy. We also know it to be an insidious cancer that has taken away far too many good dogs -- from a friend's dog who suddenly passed away last week from it the same day we learned of Benny's diagnosis, to the Dog Den's Kagney.
We got three beautiful days with Benny to share with him and others how much he was loved. But on Monday, Sept. 18th, Benny crossed the rainbow bridge, joining his sister and leaving behind a family that misses him every day.
Benny was only 9. Until last month, he rarely got ill or injured. He spent his energy just radiating love for others. He loved his older sister. When Cleo and Bruce came to us, he spent time loving, protecting, and teaching them how to be good dogs. He loved going to schools with Mike to bring comfort, healing, and love to children and staff. He was the epitome of love. And he deserved so much more than 9 years on this planet.
As we're learning about this cancer, we're discovering that ongoing reasearch is helping find ways to detect cancers like hermangiosarcoma earlier in suceptible breeds to improve treatment and outcomes. Jess, Mike, and Benny's sister Cleo will walk on October 1 to share community with others in the hopes that dogs like Benny, Kagney, and Norman will have brighter and fuller days in the future.
