It is hard to believe we have nearly completed another trip around the sun. Thank you so much for being part of the Smiling Blue Skies family, supporting our goal to help take a bite out of cancer on behalf of the precious pets and people in our lives.

This year, we were able to step out of our COVID cocoons to varying degrees, bringing our fundraising events out from behind our computer screens and back into the real world.

For nearly 22 years, Smiling Blue Skies has offered 24/7 support, and even though the veil has partially lifted on COVID, veterinarians and their technical support staff are working incredibly hard to help their patients, so we try to reach out in a variety of creative ways, to ensure dogs are receiving the special care they need. We are proud to be able to “share the care,” in any way we can.

Thanks to you, over 500 “Kindred Spirits” HOPE candles have brought a special light to homes around the world, each candle hand crafted from only the finest eco-friendly waxes and essential oils.
We continue to help fund oncology related research projects, ensuring that a variety of innovative treatment options are available, that include radiation, surgical, and medical oncologists. We fund the Clinical Research Coordinator’s position and the Companion Animal Tumour Sample Bank’s Coordinator’s position too, at the OVC Health Sciences Centre, and thanks to Marilyn Pocock’s “Heart of Gold,” a third position is waiting in the wings, and we will share more information about that in the coming months. We also helped to fund the 14th Annual ICCI Cancer Research Symposium.

The drum roll could be heard loud and clear, when it was announced that Calgary’s 2022 Smiling Blue Skies Walk for Canine Cancer, raised an amazing $34,707.34!!! Since Leanne and Mary took the helm 12 years ago, $340,777.38 has been raised for innovative cancer research.

Leading up to the Golden Retriever Club of Canada National Specialty, Cynthia sold 100 of our “Kindred Spirits” insulated bottles raising over $2000!

Agility clubs across Canada came together to support Smiling Blue Skies. This included “The Agility Connection,” raising $1000 at their July event, and Vancouver Island’s “Capital Comets Dog Sports,” who held another wildly successful weekend event, raising $7000!!!

Thanks to Derek for kicking off this year’s EROMIT Acres and Eromit AIRcademy hosted “Western Cup Challenge,” riding his bicycle from Kamloops to Quesnel in support of Smiling Blue Skies. He raised an incredible $5068.03. The event’s Tennis Ball Challenge raised $5504.75, for a grand total of $10,572.78!!!

We were so happy to hear that the bees were back buzzing this year!! Thanks to Deb, over $1100 has been raised this year.

In October, Linda’s Tri-Mark Canine Services’ “Sociable” evening with the amazing Pat Hewitt was a resounding “in-person” success!! Dinner at The Walden Club, including the most beautiful “Kindred Spirits” cake yet, and an online and in-person raffle, rounded out this great evening. Thanks to Rod and Karen for extra support. $6500 was raised for the Smiling Blue Skies Fund for Innovative Cancer Research.

The sun was shining for the Golden Retriever Club of British Columbia’s “Fun in the Field” day, raising $545, and thanks to Kim and her team in Toronto, 2022’s fundraising events came to a very special end, with more than $6,500 raised (and counting) at the Silent Art and Event Ticket Auction at “The Duke” in Toronto.

It has been an exciting year for Smiling Blue Skies. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. May your holiday season be filled with health, happiness, humour, and always HOPE, that one day there will be a world without cancer.

“Long live blue skies, where Hope is a kite and dreams really do come true.”
Dr. Suzi Beber, honouris causa

Founder, Smiling Blue Skies