http://www.smilingblueskies.com

While struggling to overcome the sadness and loss Allan and I have experienced with the recent death of our wonderful little Pembroke, Yardley from a rare form of lymphosarcoma, we have in the process been connected to a great resource called the Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund, created by Suzi Beber after the death of her beloved Golden Retriever Blues Man in 2001. Our dear friends Cheryl and Archie, knowing our deep love and bond with Yardley donated to this fund in his memory in December. We were so moved by their thoughtful gift and very impressed with the compassionate condolence letter we received from the OVC Pet Trust/Smiling Blue Skies administrators just after Christmas. These people really get it.

Unfortunately the statistics for cancer in the Golden breed are at a staggering 60 percent. Let's hope those numbers never become the norm for the Corgi, although Suzi tells me that 1 in 3 dogs mixed or otherwise will get cancer. Suzi has promised to include Yardley in her Smiling Blue Skies Angels memorial section. As I made my way through the slide show of over 300 "angels", tears streaming down my face as I saw all those precious souls looking back at me, I saw only one Corgi amongst them all (picture #93, Spencer). Now there will be two.

These are some brief excerpts from the Smiling Blue Skies website that I hope spurs your interest to check it out further:

excerpted from the Story of Blues - "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 27, 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 has been set up through the University of Guelph's Ontario Veterinary College Pet Trust Fund."

excerpted from OVC PET TRUST FUND - "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 that 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.

Every dollar donated to The Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund supports OVC's quest to find more and better ways to deal with and understand this terrible disease. Pet Trust's aim is to spend as much money as possible each year, so that they are having the maximum impact and doing the most work possible. We have been told, that in sharing Blues' story, we have helped to raise awareness of Pet Trust and OVC's fight against cancer. Thanks to you, we are making a difference.

It has been said, that 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. Please help us to help our animal companions, and change the punch line of the cruel joke we call 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."

A big thanks to Suzi and of course, Blues...

Carol