Fighting Canine Cancer in Mia's Memory
Mia's Canine Cancer Foundation is dedicated to increasing awareness of canine cancer and funding research that gives dogs better treatment options, better quality of life, and more time with their families who love them. There is still so much we don't know about why dogs develop cancer, and research is how we change that.
Our Story
FROM HEARTBREAK TO HOPE.
Mia was never “just a dog.” She was family, my constant companion, and one of the greatest loves of my life. For ten beautiful years, she filled my days with unconditional love, loyalty, laughter, and a companionship words could never fully capture. Mia and I had a language all our own. She couldn't speak, but somehow we always understood each other. I knew what she wanted, what she needed, when she was happy, and when something wasn't right. Sometimes all it took was a look, and I knew exactly what she was trying to tell me, and somehow, she always seemed to understand me too.
When Mia was diagnosed with an aggressive soft-tissue sarcoma shortly after her ninth birthday, our world changed forever. Through every difficult day, she continued to show the same strength, sweetness, and love that had always made her so special. We treasured every extra walk, every cuddle, every kiss, and every ordinary moment that suddenly meant everything.
Mia celebrated her 10th birthday surrounded by love, a milestone that meant more than words can say. She gave us just a few more precious days after that birthday before her battle came to an end. Losing her left an immeasurable hole in my heart, but her story could not end there.
Mia’s Canine Cancer Foundation was born from that heartbreak and the hope that her life can help change the future for other dogs. Through research, awareness, and advocacy, we are turning Mia’s story into a mission to help give other families facing canine cancer what we wanted more than anything: more time.
Mia Is The Heart. All Dogs Are The Mission.
Because Dogs Deserve More Time. 🐾
CANINE CANCER RESEARCH • ADVOCACY • SUPPORT
Our Mission
MORE TIME. BRIGHTER TOMORROWS.
Mia is the heart. All dogs are the mission. Mia’s Canine Cancer Foundation exists to honor the life and legacy of Mia by advancing the fight against all forms of canine cancer. Inspired by Mia's battle with aggressive soft-tissue sarcoma, we are committed to supporting research, expanding awareness, and helping create better outcomes for dogs affected by cancer.
Our mission is to fund promising research that helps us better understand the causes and risk factors of canine cancer and leads to better prevention, earlier detection, more effective treatments, and ultimately cures for canine cancers. While aggressive soft-tissue sarcoma will always hold a special place in our mission, we believe every dog facing cancer deserves hope, regardless of their cancer diagnosis.
We are turning Mia’s story into a mission to help give other dogs what every family facing canine cancer desperately wants:
More time.
Because Dogs Deserve More Time. 🐾
Canine Cancer: What Every Pet Parent Should Know
Knowledge. Awareness. Action.
Canine caner can affect any dog, and every diagnosis is different. For many canine cancers, the exact cause remains unknown, which is why continued research into potential causes, risk factors, prevention, early detection, and treatment is so important. While treatment can offer some dogs remission, long-term control, or even a cure, options remain limited for others. Greater awareness, continued research, and advances in treatment are essential to giving more fur babies a fighting chance.
Did You Know?
Approximately 1 in 4 dogs will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime.
Source: American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
Common Warning Signs
Watch for new or changing lumps, sores that don't heal, unexplained weight loss, changes in appetite or energy, difficulty eating or breathing, and changes in mobility. If something seems unusual, talk with your veterinarian.
Talking to Your Vet
Ask questions about your dog's diagnosis, prognosis, available treatment, and quality of life. Understanding the potential benefits, risks, and limitations of each option can help you make the best decision for your fur baby.
Individual Options
Every cancer diagnosis is different. Treatment and care decisions may depend on the type and stage of cancer, available options, prognosis, quality of life, and your family's circumstances. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Quality of Life Matters
Cancer care isn't only about treatment. Comfort, happiness, mobility, appetite, pain management, and moments your fur baby still enjoys all matter when making decisions about their care.
Why Does Canine Cancer Happen?
For many families, one of the first questions after a cancer diagnosis is why? Unfortunately, the cause of most cancers in dogs remains unknown. While genetics, age, environmental exposures, and other factors may influence cancer risk, there is often no single identifiable cause.
Different types of cancer can develop in different ways, and researchers continue to study the complex combination of genetic and environmental factors that may contribute to cancer in dogs. For Mia, that diagnosis was aggressive soft-tissue sarcoma, a cancer whose exact cause remains largely unknown. Her experience is one example of a much larger unanswered question affecting dogs and the families who love them.
Why Research Matters
There is still so much we don’t understand about canine cancer. Continued research can help us better understand how cancers develop, identify potential causes and risk factors, improve early detection, and create more effective treatment options. Every discovery brings us closer to answers, better outcomes, and more time.
Sources: American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
How to Help
every act of kindness gives hope.
Connect with Us
Mia’s Canine Cancer Foundation
Raising Awareness. Supporting Research. Giving Dogs More Time. 🐾
Follow our journey and help us spread awareness for dogs and the families who love them.
