Last Halloween, after a stretch of surgeries and vet visits, I dressed Chance in bubble wrap with a “fragile” sticker. At the time it felt like a funny way to cope, but also so true to what he had been through.
I never imagined that almost a year later he would be facing cancer. We have now been on this road for just over a month, and this week, his last week of radiation for now, has been the absolute hardest so far. I also know we are still only at the beginning of this journey.
Chance is also the namesake of my business, Another Chance Training. When I was younger I was often told “one more chance,” and it always left me anxious because I worried what if one more was not enough. Later in life I noticed many places called “second chance,” and I knew when I opened my business I wanted something different. Another Chance felt right because I believe both dogs and people deserve as many chances as it takes. Not just one more, not just a second, but as many as they need.
Now that Chance has cancer, that belief feels more important than ever. And it is exactly what Live Like Roo gives families like mine, more chances however many it takes. You have already given that gift to us both financially and through your emotional support. I will never forget that.
To honor Chance’s story and what Live Like Roo stands for, I asked my friend Justus Joseph to create this illustration of him in his bubble wrap costume with the words “As Many Chances As It Takes.” I invested in having it made because I wanted to capture this message in a way that could encourage others going through the same journey.
