Willowcat Cancer Surgery

In what has been one of the roughest years of my life (separating from my spouse, immigration stress/issues caused by sudden government changes to restrict, new jobs, deaths of friends, a move, health stuff, way more that I can't talk about publicly) I was informed on what I had hoped was a check-in vet visit at the end of November that my cat, Willow, has bladder cancer. The vet found a mass in her bladder, located on one side.

This cat got me through my PhD, and massive struggles over the years. Adopting her when she was ten, I've had six years to watch her grow: she is no longer a scared cat who hides, but a confident queen whose snuggles help me stay centred. She's kept me going, and caring for her has been therapeutic.

I was able to get her into a specialist quickly, but the costs have added up fast. I made the choice to pursue surgery to remove the mass in her bladder both to extend her life and to help her stay more pain-free. This surgery now also means removing the mass before it blocks her urethra, and thanks to diagnostic tests (another expense!), it seems the cancer has not yet spread to her lungs, lymph nodes, or belly. Her surgeon and I are under no illusions that she's an older cat, but her overall health and her recent tests make us believe this is the right thing to do. (Without intervention, they give her a few months to live; with surgery, we think it could be two years.)

Willow's sudden need for cancer care is something I take seriously, but not something I had budgeted for, and my teaching contract next term that supplements my postdoc income is still TBD (university austerity measures!). Due to my separation from my spouse, I am now paying for Willow's care alone, which is...costly.

This is a fundraiser to pay for her surgery, scheduled for December 4, which is estimated at $3,000-$4,000CAD. (I won't know until after surgery because it depends on what the surgeon finds.) It's a lot, but pursuing her care is the right choice: I don't want to give her up, even if I'm now suddenly a solo-cat parent.

Please don't donate if you're also struggling, or not financially stable. (It's a time out here!) But, if you've got resources to go towards helping a tired trans researcher and their well-loved companion take a shot to minimize pain and maximize well-being, I'd be grateful! Any money raised over the goal amount will go towards her clinical care.

Willow's helped me get through this year, helping me towards some professional and personal achievements in a year that's quite literally given me grey hair. Now, in facing her cancer, I want to do all I can to help her.