Support Chris & Her Cavies Journey Till The End

Chris, a courageous mother (who I'm lucky to call 'Mum'), adopted mother, cherished grandmother, wonderful friend, hard-working long-term disability carer, a truly devoted & well respect registered breeder of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, who has touched the lives of many through her work and breeding.

Tragically, in January 2024, Chris' world was turned upside down, when what she believed would be a short stay in hospital to have her gall bladder removed, quickly became hers & her beloved family's worst nightmare.

After 23, long & traumatic days in hospital, fighting for her life, with a heavy heart, Chris received the devastating news that she is terminally ill with Pancreatic Cancer, and she is sadly on borrowed time.

These words are not something anyone ever wants to hear for themselves or their loved ones, and I cannot articulate how incomprehensible this has been for Chris and her family to grasp, and the implications this has had for her and everyone who loves her.

This cruel disease has rapidly robbed Chris of so, so much. She has deteriorated very quickly, forcing her to cease work abruptly, which truly broke her heart (and the hearts of those she cared for). This too has created some huge and unforeseeable financial implications.

Chris has required many hospitalizations and needs a lot of help and support to take care of herself, her home, and her 4 very beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Georgie, Harry, Benson & Storm, of whom she often refers to as 'The Sunshine in her day'.

Anyone who knows Chris will know that her life for the past 20 years has largely been centered around her dogs and her unwavering love, care & passion for the breed.

For such a hardworking woman who has always been extremely independent and self-reliant, this has been a very tough and humbling reality for Chris to come to terms with. No longer being able to live, provide, care for others or her dogs the way she has always had such pride and pleasure in doing.

It has been tough on Chris and her family, for many reasons, but together, they are doing their best to focus on the abundance of love that flows through their grief and suffering, with such immeasurable gratitude for the time they have left together and rejoicing in the 'good' days and moments.

We are doing our best to keep Chris as comfortable as possible, at home where she wants to be, with her dearly beloved dogs.

Unfortunately, Chris is no longer able to bath or groom her dogs herself and is requiring a lot of assistance with the ongoing care and maintenance of looking after her 4 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, three of whom are in their Twighlight years and are requiring additional care and vet visits also.

As many of Chris' community would understand, particularly those who share a common love and interest in the breed, Cavies are a relatively high maintenance dog, of which require regular bathing, grooming and brushing. However, they return the love tenfold, which makes all the time and effort so worthwhile, particularly in Chris' case, where her days can feel very lonely and somber at times, and her dogs are what bring her so much joy, purpose and the will to keep going.

Chris' loved ones have been doing their absolute best to assist with the upkeep and maintenance that is required to keep Georgie, Harry, Benson and Storm thriving at home, by Chris' side, right where they belong, and all deserve to be. However, this hasn't been easy, particularly accompanied by the additional time constraints of medical appointments, cooking, cleaning, organizing, running errands + the general day to day care, support & home maintenance that Chris now also relies on assistance with.

Given the seriousness and urgency of Chris' cancer + the fact that all Chris and her family deeply desire is to be able to make the most of whatever TIME they have left together, and to ensure that Chris & her beloved Cavies can remain together for as long as possible, I have created this fundraiser in an gracious effort to call upon the open hearts and generosity of our community both near and far who would like to and are able to offer their support to Chris and her Cavies, so that this is one less burden on her and her family during this difficult time.

It is times like these where we often feel helpless, and it can be difficult to know what to say or do to show our support, or to help make a difference.

I know firsthand that Chris has touched the lives of so many, just simply by being a wonderful person, but also through her many years of service as a disability carer, and her work as a breeder. She has worked so hard to bring such quality cavaliers into the lives and hearts of people all around the world.

My greatest hope by creating this fundraiser, is it will not only help Chris, Georgie, Harry, Benson and Storm to remain together, in their time of great need and despair, but that it will also help create an opportunity for those within our compassionate community, who are wanting to help in any small way to make a difference and remind Chris that she is surrounded by love and support both near and far, and that she doesn't have to do this alone.

Every donation, no matter how small will make a meaningful difference for Chris and her dogs. Your generosity will allow us to outsource the much-needed support with expensive fortnightly bathing, grooming, and care for all 4 of Chris' dogs, as well as assisting with any vet bills and their future needs should the time come that they need to be rehomed. Your generosity and support will also alleviate the strain on the family during this challenging time and will allow us to focus on enjoying whatever quality time we have left together, with Georgie, Harry, Benson and Storm all very much being a valued part of this journey.

Despite the immense challenges of her diagnosis, Chris continues to face each day with unshakable grace. I find myself drawing on the strength and resilience of my mother and her incredible attitude to not fall victim. I find it difficult to comprehend that such a caring, selfless, fit and relatively young and certainly young at heart person can be faced with such a cruel and awful disease. Cancer certainly does not discriminate. It is quick, covert, and ruthless. To this day, Chris has not uttered a word of self-pity, inequity, or anger. She has shielded her grandchildren from any raw emotions and her comments and mindset have been nothing short of inspirational.

Please, let's rally together around Chris and her beloved dogs, and demonstrate the power of love, support, community and hope in the face of adversity. Your kindness and generosity will be a beacon of light in their darkest days. Your ongoing support means the world to Chris and her family, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

So much love and immense gratitude for your support.

Kylie