The Brodie Fund Gives Hope to Cats With Cancer and Their Families

A diagnosis of cancer is devastating for a pet parent. Not only is it heartbreaking, it is also a confusing time as well. The options to treat cancer in animals have a broad range, and for some can be quite costly. I have two friends who had dogs diagnosed with cancer. One spent probably close to $20,000 to prolong her dog’s life for a little over a year, and the other did what she could to keep her dog comfortable because she did not have the financial means for extensive treatment. I wish I had known about The Brodie Fund at that time so I could have shared this information with my friends. 

THE BRODIE FUND

Sally Williams, a cat behaviorist and a lifelong cat lover, started The Brodie Fund in 2016 in honor of her beloved cat, Brodie, who was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the nasal passages in July of 2015. When Sally was at the vet’s office with Brodie, she would overhear people talking about their pets and saying “How are we going to pay for this?” During a conversation with her vet about these situations, she was told the only alternatives for people who were not able to pay for treatment was palliative care or economic euthanasia. 

That compelled Sally to do something to help people and pets who were going through this difficult time. Through some research, she found a few organizations that offered financial assistance for cancer treatment, but the help was mostly for dogs. For six months Sally worked with a non-profit, however that organization did not fund cancer treatment and their grants were capped at $1,000. Realizing she wanted to do this on her own to help both cats and dogs, she delved into research. Four weeks later she got her non-profit status, and The Brodie Fund was born. (This June they celebrated their two year anniversary.) To date, there have been 21 applications for grants, but only five of them for cats. I’m helping Sally get the word out to cat owners that assistance is available! 

Sally started The Brodie Fund during Brodie’s treatment (which consisted of four weeks of radiation, 19 treatments total, and eventually regular follow-up appointments and supportive care.) It helped her focus on something positive rather than her fears. Sadly, Brodie passed away in September of 2016, but he left behind a legacy that lives on to bring healing, peace of mind and comfort to those who need it. 

IT’S ABOUT MORE THAN JUST FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

When I was speaking to Sally about the organization, one thing that struck me was how she pours her heart and soul into helping people. She genuinely cares about each pet and their people, who all become a part of her extended family. She feels like she has “a strong bond with the families”, most of whom stay in touch and will email her out of the blue to let her know how they’re doing. A gentleman who received a grant for his cat, Moby, sent her an email to let her know that Moby was doing great one year later. As a guy who was committed to the well being of his cat, Moby’s owner would be the brunt of jokes from friends. “My cat is my family”, he told Sally. It is because of examples such as this that Sally “doesn’t feel like I can write a check and be done with it.” If the families are open to it, she will go to vet appointments or meet families in person to offer hugs and support. 

Cats who have received grants through The Brodie Fund. 

Sally enjoys forming relationships with the grant recipients and ensures they receive the ongoing support they need. She loves being a resource for pet parents and helping whenever possible. One way she accomplishes this is through the community she has built through her Facebook pages, Team Brody and The Brodie Fund. Free grief counseling is available through the fund

HOW FUNDING WORKS

No pet should be denied the treatments they need in the fight of their lives because of the owner’s inability to pay. In order to be considered for a grant, the recipient must be a patient of one of the participating veterinarians and hospitals.  (I’m happy to see the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan on the list of participating vets. If Lola or Lexy ever needed any type of specialized care, that’s exactly where I would go.) All applications are reviewed with veterinarians and experts, and the quality of life, overall health of the pet and post-care are all taken into consideration. A dog who has a tumor in its mouth that requires a small part of its jaw removed without eating being affected would be a perfect candidate. Applications must be made by the participating veterinarian, and once approved the grant is sent directly to the hospital. 

Currently, funds are only available in the tri-state area in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Sally would like to expand to other areas, but additional funding is needed so current funds are not exhausted. 

A CANCER DIAGNOSIS IS SCARY, BUT THERE ARE OPTIONS

As a behavior consultant, Sally wants people to know that negative behaviors exhibited by our pets are often medically based. (I’m a Behavioral Psychologist, and the first rule of thumb in my field when it comes to behavior is to “rule out medical.”) Early detection is so important! We should be touching our pets and feeling them all over, and as soon as we feel a lump we should take them to the vet. Lexy doesn’t particularly like when I do this, so I have to catch her at the right moment and may not be able to do a full body scan in one sitting. Lola, on the other hand, would love to have this done daily! It’s also important to know your pet’s behavior. If they are acting differently, it may be time to get things checked out. Sally also recommends at least an annual well visit, keeping your pet active, feeding a consistent diet and maintaining a healthy weight to help fight cancer. 




A cancer diagnosis may sound like the end of the world, but there are a lot of options for you and your pet and treatment doesn’t necessarily have to be chemotherapy. One piece of advice Sally has for pet owners is that we shouldn’t think about how people respond to treatment. Pets generally tolerate different forms of treatment better than humans do. 

And don’t be afraid to ask your vet questions! It helps to be prepared for the visit by bringing a list of questions and take good notes because it may be difficult to remember everything that is discussed. 

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HOW YOU CAN HELP

The Brodie Fund frequently holds fun fund-raising events and volunteers are always welcome. You can visit their event page here.  You can also donate here, or shop at a participating shop to support them. 

For more information and to stay up to date with recent events, follow The Brodie Fund on Social Media.

  Facebook      |       Instagram     |    Twitter     

Please join us in getting the word out to cat parents that grants are available for cats! You can do that by sharing information on your social media accounts and telling your friends and family about how The Brodie Fund can help them. 

Dawn

Sally Williams is a Cat Behavior Consultant and owner of The Contented Cat. A lifelong animal lover Sally is a member of The Pet Professional Guild, the IAABC and a longtime volunteer at the Monmouth County SPCA and more recently Siamese Cat Rescue. Sally is also a certified Animal Reiki Practitioner and member of the Shelter Animal Reiki Association. Most importantly Sally is Brodie’s mom and he is the inspiration behind the Brodie Fund.