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Canines-N-Kids Blog

BLOG: Celebrating Rylie Heisler

Today is an important day for a very special cancer patient: Rylie Heisler of Grand Forks MN. One year ago today was a life-changing moment for this vibrant high school senior with ambitions to become a nurse. Rylie and her family were told that she had cancer - osteosarcoma- a rare, aggressive and disfiguring disease which typically strikes kids in adolescence, and one of the cancers in which Canines-N-Kids is working hard to fund comparative studies in man's best friend. In fact, osteosarcoma is one of the cancers canines develop in far greater numbers (more than 10,000 pet dogs diagnosed a year) than children do (some 400 cases a year in the US). Studying and treating this difficult cancer in man's best friend through comparative clinical trials - can help us better understand and treat this disease in kids like Rylie, and one day, bring better medicines and a cure to both!

After a tough battle, Rylie is now thankfully in remission, her body recovering from the ravages of chemotherapy, and from limb preservation surgery in her thigh. She is healing, and beginning to move forward toward the life this beautiful girl deserves to have. From me and from all of us here at Canines-N-Kids, we send our love and prayers that you will daily get stronger, and that each anniversary of this day finds you living more and more of your dreams. Thank you Rylie and family for being such an incredible and inspiring force behind our mission.
XOXOXO.

Ulrike
Canines-N-Kids Founder & Executive Director

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