The fund is called “Sonny Angel & Cody Jo’s
Gift of Hope Endowment.”
This endowment fund is designed to help sick animals who have no owners or whose owners do not have the means to pay for veterinary care.
For those of you who have pets in your family, you know the joy, friendship and intimacy they bring. You also know the incredible worry and distress when they become sick or injured. And, God forbid, the deep and unfathomable grief when they die. This fund helps to prevent unnecessary pain and suffering
on the part of animals and/or their families.
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Why am I doing this?
For me, it is deeply personal, derived from my relationships with Sonny and Cody, my eight- and 12-year-old golden retrievers.
Sonny and Cody were brothers and my constant companions, unbelievably full of life and affection. No matter what kind of a day I was having, I could always count on Sonny to make me feel good. In fact, I called him “Sonny Angel” because of his sweet and loving temperament.
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But in November 2006 Sonny’s disposition altered abruptly. The change was like turning off a light. One day he was “Sunny” Sonny, and the next he was morose, lethargic and not eating (which for him meant serious business).
I ultimately took Sonny to the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Pullman where my worst fears were realized: Sonny was diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer.
I did everything in my power to save him, as did the wonderful practitioners at WSU. But he was too far along. He died less than a month after his diagnosis. I was devastated.
Then in January of this year, Cody was stricken ill. And he too was diagnosed with cancer – Hermangiosarcoma. Again, we went to the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine. And again, despite all our best efforts, we lost Cody.
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The purpose of this endowment fund is to transform these heartbreaking incidents in my life into something tangibly positive: To help sick animals and their owners when they have nowhere else to turn.
One thing I was struck by during my visits to WSU was the number of people sitting in the waiting room who had no means to pay for critical pet care. And there are many additional animals who are alone, and sick. I’d like to change that, at least in my own small way.
I have established a fund with the veterinary school at WSU called “Sonny Angel and Cody Jo’s Gift of Hope Endowment.”
This fund supports and cares for WSU animal patients who need life-saving procedures but have no owners, or whose owners do not have the means to pay for the care. In addition, the fund aids in the training of oncology students and assists in the research of better techniques in treating cancer in animals.
This is the third year of our endowment. We have raised more than $36,000. We have helped several needy people and animals.
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Here are just but a few examples of people and
animals our fund is helping.
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Angus, a five-year-old German Shepard-Labrador-Rottweiler mix, requiring surgery to remove tumors on his paws, and whose owner is on fixed Social Security Disability income, with no means to pay for the operation.
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Meggi, a 10-year old tortoise-shell companion cat to a limited-fixed-income priest, requiring surgery to remove a tumor on her left jaw.
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Emmie Girl, a nine-year-old Jack Russell Terrier who is a companion dog to a 44-year old man with MS. Emmie Girl required surgery to remove a tumor on her stomach.
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Athena, a 10-year-old special-assistance Rottweiler, needing a $600 surgery to remove a chest tumor. Athena’s owner is a grandmother without the financial means to pay for the operation.
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What exactly am I doing in this fund raiser?
I have always been an avid cyclist. And on August 21, I will ride my bike from my home in Cle Elum to the veterinary hospital in Pullman that treated Sonny and Cody. A one-way distance of 214 miles. My goal is to complete the ride in 16 hours, door-to-door
"Why does Bill Johnson ride?"
Go to http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts-prd/donors/johnson.aspx for an article by WSU where you can watch a video of me from last year's ride. You can also make an online donation directly to the WSU Foundation.
What am I asking you to do?
I’m asking you to pledge a per mile amount to my ride. Or a lump sum. My goal for 2008 is to match the combined total of 2006 and 2007: $36,000. Contributions are tax-deductible. I will be contributing a sizeable donation myself.
Pledges and donations.
Click here for donation options.
Thank You!
I do recognize that there are a lot of demands on you for charitable giving, but your generosity would mean so much to me personally and more to our animal friends who have no benefactors.
Sincerely,
Bill Johnson
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P.S. If you don’t like me, there’s another good reason to donate some money: Your contribution will ensure that I’ll be grinding along alone on an extremely arduous bicycle ride (almost double the miles of a typical Tour de France stage), in pain and misery for 16 hours a day on a rock-hard bicycle seat, sucking bugs and diesel fumes in the 100-degree Eastern Washington heat and wind, often just inches from sleep-deprived maniacs piloting giant semi-trucks, and wearing a garishly colored Spandex bike outfit that will induce locals along the way to insult my manhood and throw stuff at me.
Click here for a detailed map of Bill's bike route.
Topographical Maps of My Route
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Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine is one of the nation's top veterinary schools.
It has one of the best-equipped veterinary teaching hospitals in the world and top faculty who are respected worldwide. The College:
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is fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
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awards more than $200,000 in scholarships each year to DVM students.
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ranks among the top U.S. veterinary colleges in terms of extramural research support. |
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Make Your Donation Online
To make an online donation, go to:
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts-prd/donors/johnson.aspx.
Click on “Make an online donation through the WSU Foundation”
and follow the directions.
Mail in Your Pledge Form (PDF)
If you prefer, you can download the pledge form to mail in to WSU's College of Veterinary Medicine.
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