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Canines-N-Kids’ Project Hearts & Tails Debuts at Boston Children’s Hospital Care Packages Bring Hope to Kids and Dogs with Cancer Nationwide

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Contact:  Shawn Flaherty, 703-554-3609

Canines-N-Kids’ Project Hearts & Tails Debuts at Boston Children’s Hospital

Care Packages Bring Hope to Kids and Dogs with Cancer Nationwide

BOSTON, MA (March 2, 2020) – The delivery of dozens of stuffed animal black lab pups in signature golden bandanas and a new book to Boston Children's Hospital (BCH) marked the national launch of Canines-N-Kids Foundation’s (CNK) Project Hearts & Tails, which seeks to bring hope to kids diagnosed with cancer as well as attention to the shared cancers that dogs and kids both develop.

“Thank you to Boston Children's Hospital for enabling us to debut this program with them—to bring comfort and joy to these beautiful kids, while raising awareness of shared cancers and comparative research in such a special way!” explained Ulrike Szalay, executive director, Canines-N-Kids Foundation.

The cuddly stuffed animals, aptly named "BRAVE," will accompany kids on their treatment journeys, accompanied by Canines-N-Kids’ book "We'll Get Through This Together” and soon a red baseball cap co-branded with the iconic Black Dog Tavern Company logo.  In We’ll Get Through This Together!, a pet black lab shares his perspective of joining a boy going through every step of his cancer treatment. Written by Szalay, the children’s book is the anchor of Project Hearts &Tails, which has a goal of delivering the book and a stuffed dog to kids going through cancer treatment at hospitals nationwide. Each year, an estimate 16,000 kids are diagnosed.

For most kids at BCH, the care package will arrive via the hospital's Pet Partners Canine ambassadors, who also will be wearing Canines-N-Kid’s signature Crush Cancer @ Both Ends of the Leash® golden bandana when they make their rounds! Child Life specialists will use the books and pups to help spark conversation with the kids about the sometimes scary and lonely treatment experience. In the Spring, Canines-N-Kids will host a special "Licks & Giggles" social event for the children, their families, pet therapy partners, doctors and nurses.

The Project also educates adults about another connection that dogs and kids have.  Cancer is the number one cause of disease-related death in children and nearly half of all canines die from cancer. Several cancers develop in both kids and man’s best friend such as bone cancer, brain cancer, lymphoma and leukemia. In many cases, these cancers are biologically similar or even indistinguishable between kids and dogs, and also far more prevalent in man’s best friend.

There is little movement behind new (or better) treatments for either of these vulnerable groups. That’s why Canine-N-Kids leads the integration of science and medicine to find the connections and new medications to help cure these vulnerable cancer patients who are both two legged and four legged.  Project Hearts &Tails, with plans to expand nationwide, is part of CNK’s work to find a cure for both.

About Canines-N-Kids Foundation

The Canines-N-Kids Foundation is a recognized charitable nonprofit committed to finding a cure to the devastating cancers that canines and children face in common, including bone cancer, brain cancer, lymphoma and leukemia. www.CaninesNKids.org

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