The Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund: Contact Us

If we could hang all of our sorrows on pegs,

and were allowed to choose those we liked best,

every one of us would take back their own,

for all the rest would seem even more difficult to bear.

~ Martin Buber ~

Cancer . . . the cruelest joke of all. Each of us has been touched by cancer, in one way or another. We can try to run and hide, but inevitably, its evil grin will cross the threshold of our homes. It crossed ours in the summer of 2000, and our lives will never be the same. On March 27th, 2001, our beautiful Blues lost his battle with lymphoma. He was the sun and moon and stars to us. He was our Smiling Blue Skies. He was everyone’s Blues Man. In Blues’ memory, a special cancer fund was set up through the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College Pet Trust Fund.

Pet Trust was established in 1986, to advance the health, health care, and quality of life, of companion animals. It is the only programme of its type in Canada. Pet Trust is overseen by an independent Board of Trustees, and is administered by the Dean of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC). To date, the Pet Trust Fund has been used for many special projects, including, investigations into common health problems, the development of new diagnostic therapeutic, and surgical techniques, studies involving the human-animal bond and animal behaviour, educating veterinary specialists, by providing scholarships for graduate students, focusing on companion animal medicine, and supporting special projects, that enhance the quality of care in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Since the inception of Pet Trust: In Memory of Blues (The Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund), we have raised nearly $25,000 to help OVC in the treatment and research of canine cancer.

Cancer is the most frequent cause of death in dogs. This is a truly frightening thought. In an independent survey conducted by the Golden Retriever Club of America, it was determined that over sixty per cent of Goldens die from cancer. As one breeder pointed out, if you have Golden Retrievers, you have had, have now, or will have a Golden with cancer. It is a burden we all share. In loving our dogs, whether pure breeds or mixed breeds, we want the very best for them, in health, and in sickness.

Please help us to help our dogs, and change the punch line of the cruel joke we call Cancer. Please join us on Saturday, August 14th, 2004, when The Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund, will present the 2^nd Annual Paws for a Cause Walk-A-Thon, at the Huckleberry Rock Lookout Trail, located in beautiful Muskoka, Ontario. It is three years, since we lost our Blues Man. His indomitable spirit lives on, stronger than ever, and even though we still feel his loss every day, our work to raise funds for this very important cause, gives us hope for the future. Our first walk was awesome. Let’s reach beyond the bluest skies, to the brightest stars, on behalf of the University of Guelph’s Pet Trust Fund (Pet Trust: In Memory of Blues), and take a big bite out of canine cancer!

The Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund is in loving memory of

our beautiful Blues Man, who taught us the true meaning of being

a show dog. He showed us how to live, love, laugh, and learn.