STELLA

Stella is a free spirited, gentle and most of all loving care-bear. She is devoted to her family and canine companions, Princess and Zorro. Stella is a 3½ year old American Pitbull Terrier who I adopted last year from a rescue called Colony Cats Rescue in Columbus, Ohio.

My family (including Stella’s canine companions) never met her before we went to get her to bring her home. Mona is the wonderful woman who cared about Stella and wanted to give her the best home possible. When my family met Stella and Mona for the first time in Hershey, PA I remember Mona asked if we still wanted her? Without hesitating, I looked at my son, Anthony and his dad and said, "YES, I love her and want her to come home."

Stella has been an uplifting joy in our home. She knows when you are sad and she’ll get you to smile; when you're happy she gets really crazy - she feels what we feel!

In June 2008, I spoke to Dr. Birmingham at the Sayrebrook Veterinary Hospital in Sayreville, New Jersey regarding a lump on Stella's throat. Dr. Birmingham had a look and said there were two options: 1)  aspirate it and see what type of cells were in it, or 2) operate and remove it. We decided first to aspirate. 

A few days later I got a phone call and was informed that it might be cancer but the doctor wanted to do another fine needle aspirate to confirm this. Another week later, Stella was diagnosed with a Mast Cell Tumor in her throat.

I cried and cried and was so confused about what to do and how to do it. I checked every possible resource, got some donations from friends and other charities but needed educational help and more funding. In my search, one of the websites I found was the Magic Bullet Fund and I applied for Stella to be accepted for funding of her treatment. I was getting nervous because Dr. Birmingham told me this needs to be done ASAP to keep it from spreading, and I wondered where I would get the money to pay for this expensive care?

The past few months have been an emotional and mental drain. In April we lost our home to foreclosure and now this. But I got on my knees and said to Stella, "I will not let anything happen to you baby." In the mean time I waited to hear from MBF and two days later I got the call from Laurie. She said that Stella was accepted into the Magic Bullet Fund! I cried with joy!

Since all of this has transpired I have volunteered my time to manage a MySpace page for MBF, to help pass on this wonderful organization's name and to educate others around the world about canine cancer. Thank you, to the wonderful Magic Bullet Fund, not only for accepting Stella and others like her, but also for allowing our family to be a part of the MBF family.

We are not ready to give up on Stella.  Like many of you, our canines are family and there is nothing we would not do for our family. We love Stella and cherish every moment with her, Princess and Zorro.

Please contribute towards Stella’s treatment. Stella is our baby and we are not ready to say good-bye.

• Loves being around everyone and everything (including animals of all shapes and sizes).
• Going for rides - especially to the dog park and pet store.
• Don’t forget her walks!
• Stella is actually happy going to the vet! She wants love from everyone.
• To sit or lay down on your lap as you watch TV.
• Loves playing catch in the air (and oh boy, is she a great jumper!).
• She will always give hugs and kisses.

• She is jealous when we pay attention to the other canine companions.
• When we try to move her on the bed to get in our spot she growls.
• Doesn't like being squirted with the water hose!