4/26/09: Maverick the Weim Fund Donates $10,000 to North Carolina State University
This money will be used to help finance the purchase of a new leukapheresis machine (which is used to harvest stem cells from a patient or donor), as the current machines at NCSU will become obsolete at the end of the year.
Please consider donating to Maverick's fund to help with our mission -
1. To help advance the NCSU Canine Bone Marrow Transplant Program
2. To help finance canine bone marrow transplants for dogs whose owners cannot afford the treatment
3. To help finance other expensive cancer treatments (such as chemotherapy, diagnostic testing, surgeries, and secondary medications) for companion animals whose owners cannot afford them
Maverick, our 6 1/2 year old Weimaraner (in the photo on the left, with Howie and Marna Altman, and Dr. Steven Suter) underwent an autologous Bone Marrow Transplant (using his own stem cells, which were harvested prior to full body irradiation) on Friday, January 23rd at North Carolina State University.
He is the first dog in the world (as best as we can find through our research) diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) to undergo a Bone Marrow Transplant. We hope that his case can establish a new lifesaving procedure for dogs and advance both canine and human oncology. Normally, acute leukemia in dogs is a death sentence carrying the terrible prognosis of days to months to live in 100% of cases, even with chemotherapy.
You can read and watch a video about this revolutionary procedure here. Originally, human bone marrow transplant procedures were discovered and perfected using canine models so it is great that veterinarians can begin giving back to dogs using these same procedures.
This website's goal is to become a centralized resource for others who unfortunately are going through or will have to go through a similar ordeal as Maverick. We also want to solicit donations to help advance the NCSU Canine Bone Marrow Transplant Program, to help fund bone marrow transplants for dogs whose owners cannot afford the treatment, and also to help fund other cancer treatments such as chemotherapy for companion animals whose owners cannot afford them. If you are in need of financial assistance, please visit our Donations page.
(Please be sure to reference the Maverick the Weim Fund when making donations so they are credited properly).
Here is a brand new video (as of 3/22/09) of Maverick playing in the backyard 2 months after his Bone Marrow Transplant!!
Click on the Facebook icon to the left to get to Maverick's Facebook page and become a fan.Also, please check out Maverick's Facebook Cause: Save Companion Animals with Cancer.
We want to thank everyone for their help, support, prayers, and well wishes. Please check back frequently for updates.
Last Updated - April 26, 2009