I’m Joan Macaluso, owned and loved by an 11-year-old Australian Shepherd named Teddy. I’m also your newsletter editor. In future issues of Let's Make Magic!, this page will show letters sent in by you, our wonderful supporters. Since this is the first issue and no letters have arrived, I will use this page to introduce myself.

It’s because of Teddy that I became involved with The Magic Bullet Fund. Early in January 2006, I found a growth on Teddy’s chin that his vet thought was a bit “odd.” We decided to remove the growth and send the tissue out for biopsy. On January 9, our vet called to give us the diagnosis of sebaceous carcinoma — cancer of the hair follicle/oil gland. If there is a good cancer to get, this is the one! 

Teddy had three surgeries in a 6-week period, but his loving nature and attitude toward life never changed. He has always had the outlook: “Life’s too short to worry about anything, so let’s just play!” Teddy still wants to see new things, meet new people, and go new places. He is truly an inspiration in how to deal with an illness!

This newsletter will be full of thanks every month to all of you who have donated to the fund. Some of you have a dog with cancer. I speak for all of us at the Magic Bullet Fund when I send my prayers for successful treatments and unexpected wonderful survival stories. To those who have lost a beloved dog to cancer, I extend my deepest sympathies. To all, I extend my heartfelt thanks for your generous donations, which have enabled us to help other dogs so that they can “fight the good fight.”

I also want to thank the inspiration behind all that we accomplish with this fund. Everyone reading this newsletter knows Bullet’s story. If you don’t, you must read the book “Help Your Dog Fight Cancer.” The Magic Bullet Fund is truly Bullet’s legacy. His beautiful, strong spirit guides us in all we do. Without Bullet, the Magic Bullet Fund would not exist and some very special dogs would not have been able to receive the treatment they desperately needed. And I would not have landed this high paying, high profile job of volunteer editor for Let's Make Magic!

I hope that you will be inspired by the stories you read about the dogs and their caregivers who are struggling to beat this dreaded disease. The unconditional love that our pups give can never be returned in full. I hope that you will join the growing army of people who support the Magic Bullet Fund and contribute to the effort. No donation is too small and just spreading the word is a great way to help!