Do you have a dog?
Have you or has someone you know who has a dog had a recent cancer diagnosis?
If so, I have a research opportunity for you to check out and possibly consider taking part in and/or sharing.
It’s no surprise to most of you by now how much I love my pets. Elsie, Sophie and Ninja are far from perfect, really far, but none-the-less; there is something about even their imperfections that is endearing. Besides, it’s not like the humans in my household are perfect, so why should the pets be, right?
I know without a doubt my dogs (we didn’t have Ninja yet back then) were a huge help to me following my diagnosis and all throughout my cancer treatment. Elsie and Sophie were in fact, the ones with me when I got the cancer call. They helped me cope then. They help me cope now. And they didn’t/don’t even know it!
This is Elsie – there’s just something about the face of an old dog…
Sophie with her summer cut. She always keeps things lively & a bit unpredictable.
Feeling the way I do about animals, and research as well, I had to say yes to helping out when I was contacted by a researcher from Virginia Commonwealth University and Ithaca College who is conducting a study about individuals with cancer and their dogs.
Here’s part of the request exactly as I received it:
“Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University and Ithaca College are conducting a survey of individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer in order to understand their experiences with their dogs. If you are over age 21 and have been diagnosed with cancer within the past two years and have a dog, you are eligible to complete a 20-30 minute survey about your experiences. Please follow this link for more information and to participate in the survey: http://tinyurl.com/VCUDogSurvey. Every person who completes the study is eligible for a $10 gift card.”
If you’re like me and past the two year mark since diagnosed, you can still help out. Just head over to the study’s Facebook page, like it, share it or just read about the study.
If you do decide to take part in the survey, it’s quick and you even get a gift card in exchange for your time! I don’t know about you, but I appreciate surveys that compensate me for my time.
You can then use your gift card to go out and buy something for your special dog!
This makes it a win-win for everyone, right?
And maybe some day I’ll be letting you know about a study for the kitties in our lives too!
Note: This survey is open for the next two months, so you have plenty of time; but why put it off?
I know this is a dog study, but can’t leave Ninja out completely, right!
Pinkunderbelly
Wednesday 3rd of July 2013
I love this idea! I'm too far out from DX to participate but I sure do believe in the power of pets!
Nancy
Monday 8th of July 2013
Pink Underbelly, I know. I love the idea too. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Opportunities | Searching for EMWA
Monday 1st of July 2013
[...] at Nancy’s Point brought a cool survey to my attention this past week researching the benefits of dogs when someone [...]
Renn
Friday 21st of June 2013
Hi Nancy! It's been over 2 years since my Dx, but I just tweeted the study to my [albeit few] followers who may be eligible to participate! I have a blog post in my drafts folder about how my dog knew I had cancer. During the "waiting" period between "bad mammo" and biopsy, I was laying down one day and my dog jumped on the bed, walked right up to the area on my right boob that we suspected had cancer, sniffed, then jumped back off the bed. I have never written about that before. I filed that moment away mentally and when I found out I actually did have breast cancer, I remember thinking that my dog already knew!!! There is more to the story, maybe I will dust off those memories and formulate them into a coherent post. Thanks for the reminder! Great post. ;-)
Nancy
Sunday 23rd of June 2013
Renn, Well, there are studies about dogs sniffing out cancer, so your dog quite possibly did know... interesting. I hope you do decide to write about it. Thanks for reading, commenting and tweeting. I hope some decide to participate in the study.