by Katerina Lorenzatos Makris ~

Back in the days when it was unimaginable to a health nut like me that I’d ever get cancer, much less a vicious, life-threatening one, I was just as crazy about animals as I am now. And I was just as maniacal about helping them. All of my hands-on, in-the-trenches rescues were performed during the two decades or so immediately prior to the two bouts with stupid endometrial cancer. So I mustn’t give cancer the credit (or the blame) for making me such an animal fan.

What I can say, though, is that recovery from that nasty bugger has made me even more fanatic about rescue. Feeling lucky to be alive—feeling euphoric to still be walking and talking on this planet—does things to the brain, and to the heart. Sort of wacky things, I suppose, but let’s call it “good” wacky.

[Headline photo above is from December 2016, when I got to ring the graduation bell on my last day of external radiation sessions. Teddies Philo and Amiga, sent by friends JP Novic and Shelley Frost, accompanied me to all treatments, along with a photo of my grandmother and her parents from the Greek island of Kefalonia.]

Survival chances were fifty-fifty

Six years ago this month, I completed my final treatment session for the cancer. There were 28 days of external beam radiation, then there was internal radiation, wherein radioactive cylinders and needles were inserted inside my body for 12 hours on two separate days. Quite an adventure.

The whole story had started the year before, in 2015, when doctors told me I had a relatively mild case of endometrial (uterine) cancer that could be thoroughly eliminated with surgical removal of most of my female organs.

Eight months after surgery, though, the docs were shocked when the dang thang came back. The speed of its return, combined with its dangerous new location near my urethra, caused all of the specialists I consulted to warn me that even with the radical radiation they were recommending, they could give me only a fifty-fifty chance of surviving past 18 months.

Wait. What?

As soon as I got past the shock of hearing that prognosis, I felt annoyed. I was only in my fifties. There was still a lot to do. My writing, for example—many stories left to tell. And the animals! By then my husband and I had rescued and re-homed more than 250 dogs, cats, and even a few humans, but there were still a heckuva lot of them out there waiting for help. I couldn’t go and die on them. Not so soon. This was ridiculous.

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Stellar medical care, plus help from husband, family, friends, and pooches

In a huge stroke of luck I found radiation oncologist Dr. Catheryn Yashar, a specialist in my particular type of recurrence, right here in my home area. She and her stellar medical team at University of California at San Diego (UCSD) Moores Cancer Center gave me superb care. With the double whammy of external plus internal radiation, they nuked the daylights out of the little monster who was trying to kill me.

The treatments sounded barbaric, but Dr. Yashar and her team made it surprisingly easy for me. Afterward I wrote an article about the experience, focusing on one member of her amazing team, magic fairy Nurse Pamela.

Another lucky advantage was having some wonderful friends with medical backgrounds, who kindly took the time to advise me on the various crucial decisions I had to make regarding my treatment. Cynthia Karlicek R.N., Meera Lester, Victoria Makrides, Ph.D., Dr. Herbert Wagenaar Hummelinck, and Dr. Ifor Williams all spent considerable time responding to my many questions and concerns, and even researched them as needed.

My psychotherapists were wonderfully helpful too—both my private therapist and the one who was provided free of charge to me by Moores Cancer Center. I know that many people somehow get through cancer without professional counseling, but I don’t see how. For me it was critical.

Also I’m eternally grateful to the many supportive friends who stood by during all my cancer adventures, frequently checking in on me, and offering encouragement, nurturing, and kind, nonjudgmental shoulders that I sometimes made soggy. For example long-time friends Shelley Frost and JP Novic of Center for Animal Protection and Education (CAPE) sent me the teddies Philo and Amiga (shown in headline photo above), who accompanied me to the surgery, the radiation sessions, and to all the subsequent tests and doctor appointments, even as recently as a couple of months ago.

My mom Spunky Stella (RIP), and siblings-in-law Carol and Larry were also very loving and helpful.

Our large pack of pooches—we had ten of our own at that time—provided excellent emotional support, too. Some of them kept constant tabs on me, following me around the house and keeping watch at the door until I got home from the treatments each day. One of them, my sweet Julia Jr. (RIP), became total Velcro, never straying more than about three feet from my side. They all seemed somehow to know what was going on, and didn’t let up on their vigilance until about a month after my final treatment session.

Last but not least there was my husband, a.k.a. The Saint, who provided both emotional and practical support. For example Hubsy not only took care of all those ten pooches during my treatment months–while some of them were elderly and/or ill; he also was the lucky guy who got to give me an enema with a foaming prednisone medication that blessedly relieved the hellish rectal itching and burning caused by the radiation. Actually he was probably delighted to do it, so as to eliminate the additional side effect of my grouchiness that the itching and burning side effects were causing.

All of that support was absolutely essential to my recovery.

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Grateful to be alive

A couple of months ago, based on MRI results and on Dr. Yashar’s exam of me “under the hood,” she assured me that at this point, six years past treatment, it is extremely unlikely I’ll ever hear from that cancer again. There is only a single-digit chance of it returning.

I am liking this. I am liking this a lot. So much so that I’m feeling a little giddy. It’s as if Dr. Yashar, her team, and all my other supporters ushered me out of a shadowy room, shut and locked the door behind me, then opened another door into a sunshiny one. It is taking me a little while to adjust my eyes and reorient. 

During this giddy time, I’m remembering how I felt on that day when the docs warned I might only have a year and a half to live. It tore me up to think of the animals I’d have to leave behind—not only my own precious fur babies, but also all the desperately needy others I might never have the chance to help. 

But now it’s six years later. I’m still here.

A ‘giving back party’ for my cancer-kicking anniversary

The names I call my stupid cancer are not printable in polite company. I’ll leave them to your imagination.

I’m still annoyed and resentful that it robbed so much of my time and packed such a wallop, but nowadays my main feeling toward that stupid cancer is something a lot more fun. Now I get to gloat at it.

Ha. Ha. Ha. Beat the heck out of you, jerk.

And there’s no better way to rub this triumph in its mean little face than to do the most life-affirming thing I know how to do… rescue.

So it is with enormous pleasure and gratitude that in recent months, through my little website RescueDiva.com, I have been able to celebrate my cancer kick-iversary by making more than $10,000 in donations to help some animals, as per the list below.

A normal person might host a big get-together with great food and flowing booze to rejoice in having kicked the ugly backside of a deadly beast like cancer. But I’m remembering what it’s like to be dangerously ill, to sense that one’s remaining days on this planet might be few, and to feel lost and afraid.

Extending a helping hand to creatures who are in the same boat, as well as to their valiant, self-sacrificing rescuers, is my idea of a party. ?

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RESCUE DIVA DONATIONS FROM AUGUST THROUGH DECEMBER 2022 TO CELEBRATE KICKING CANCER:

Please note: This year the funds for the donations listed below came from Hubsy and me, but we’re working hard to make RescueDiva.com self-sustaining, so that in coming years it can donate even more to support the animals and the wonderful rescuers who work so hard to help them. Buying our fun romantic fiction stories (just $2) and sharing the links to our articles about animal care and rescue can help us achieve those goals. 🙂

$2,644 (2,500 euros) in Dec., as a matching funds challenge for excellent group Kefalonia Animal Trust (KATs) on the Greek island of Kefalonia to spay/neuter 70 kitties.

$1,000 in Oct. as a matching funds challenge for Ruthless Kindness, an amazing group in northern California who offer veterinary services free of charge to the beloved companion animals of victims of domestic violence, so as to help them survive and escape their abusers. This donation was made also as part of my own healing from domestic violence.

$1,000 in Dec. as a matching funds challenge for wonderful group Canine Adoption and Rescue League (C.A.R.L.).

$600 in Aug. and Sep. additional for C.A.R.L.

$550 (500 euros) on Dec. 27 for Cat Rescue by Alexis. Retired Greek-American Alexis (Suzette) Mistou works hard on the island of Evia Greece to care for dozens of kitties on her own.

$550 (500 euros) on Dec. 27 for Anima Lefkada. This excellent group specializes in ill, disabled, or senior animals, but recently took in 13 needy puppies. This donation consisted of $330 for the puppies, and $220 for a senior dog named Bobby.

$530 (500 euros) in Dec. as a matching funds challenge to help with veterinary expenses of Elisavet’s Strays, run by Elisavet Pessexidou, who works selflessly to care for extremely challenging rescue cases in northern Greece.

$463 (450 euros) on Sep. 20 for Canan, Eliza, and Willow, three stray mother dogs with puppies on the island of Zakynthos, rescued by hardworking Soula Potamiti, with photography and other assistance from dedicated animal supporter Bob DeCosemo.

$440 in August for Chip, a frightened, confused 12-year-old dog with a wretched skin infection and flea anemia. RescueDiva.com sponsored the wonderful work of Canine Adoption and Rescue League (C.A.R.L.) in Ventura County, California restore Chip’s health and confidence. Now Chip has found his forever home! This donation was made also in memory of my nurturing and inspiring high school teacher Mrs. Christine Eastus.

$300 on Nov. 2 for Black Cat Holistic Rescue in Los Angeles, California, who lovingly focus on helping… you guessed it… black kitties!

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$222 (200 euros) on Dec. 13 to help with veterinary expenses of pretty kitten Nyra, who suffered a serious head injury, requiring eye surgery and more, in the Thessaloniki area of Greece. Rescued lovingly and diligently by Nicole Papadopoulou, who also rescues many other animals, with assistance from Kathy Rucksa.

$201 (190 euros) on Dec. 10 to help with veterinary expenses of Peggy in the Thessaloniki area of Greece. This beautiful eight-year-old husky mix with neurological issues has been living for years with very little human contact since her owner fell ill. Peggy is assisted by a team of several dedicated and hardworking volunteers including Katerina Koutali, Io Kynigopoulou, and superb group Greek Strays for Expats in Greece.

$215 (190 euros) on Oct. 20 to help with the outstanding work of Anna Geradts of Setter Help Europe, who lovingly and meticulously re-homes Greek dogs.

$208 (200 euros) on Nov. 9 and Nov. 24, to help with the rescue expenses of Bouka, a handsome and clever young pointer mix who, after finding himself abandoned on the streets, spotted two kind-hearted Belgian tourists bicycling through Greece, and jogged for long distances beside them, camping and eating with them, until the tourists reached out for help in re-homing him. In an inspiring example of cooperation for the animals, a large team of rescuers brilliantly coordinated their efforts, and now Bouka has been adopted in Denmark. The topnotch team included Charlène Salomé, Vlaxou Poly, Mary Mavrelou and Panayota Spilioti of Animal Protection Vlassis, Katerina Giannatou, Suzanne Wing Fafoutaki and Lina Papageorgiou and others in their group Greek Strays for Expats in Greece, several generous donors, and last but not least Benedikte Bjerre with her fabulous group Graeske Hunde.

$187 (170 euros) on Dec. 11 for a custom-made stroller for Aristea, a sweet two-year-old shepherd/husky mix on the island of Crete in Greece whose legs got paralyzed due to irreparable spine damage after getting hit by a car. Her valiant rescuers and helpers include Katerina Stratigaki, the Zophoros Politismos Perivallon Zoofilia shelter, and Greek Strays for Expats in Greece. 

$171 (150 euros) on Dec. 21 for a month of boarding for Boubis (described below).

$128 on Dec. 27 for Stichting AAI in the Netherlands as a small thank-you for expertly re-homing hundreds of Greek dogs over the years, including several who were rescued and/or sponsored by Rescue Diva.

$220 total for 2022 to Center for Animal Protection and Education, founded by longtime friends JP Novic and Shelley Frost, who work tirelessly for all animals including dogs, horses, burros, goats, pigs, chickens, and other farm animals at their northern California sanctuary. Also they sent me the plushies Philo and Amigo [in photo above] to help me through the surgery and radiation. ($120 yearly plus $100 on Dec. 30)

$116 (100 euros) on Dec. 31 to Santorini Animal Welfare Association and Dr. Margarita Valvi, as a small thank-you for helping my mom and me rescue beautiful girls Claire the German shorthair pointer and Melina the spaniel mix back in 2003.

$110 (100 euros) on Dec. 31 to hardworking group Animal Rescue Kefalonia (ARK Doris) on the Greek island Kefalonia, as a small thank-you for caring for my angel Julia Jr. RIP until I had the good luck to meet and adopt her there in 2013.

$111 (100 euros) on Dec. 31 as an additional donation for the veterinary expenses of animals cared for by Voula Tzanou of Adespota (Strays) Seikh Sou in northern Greece.

$106 (100 euros) on Nov. 29 additional for Elisavet’s Strays.

$104 (100 euros) on Nov. 11 to help with veterinary expenses of Boubis, a gorgeous, terribly ill and abused pointer/shepherd mix, rescued lovingly and diligently by Dora Kostara with assistance from Filozoikos Syllogos Fthiotidas 2017 (Animal Friends of Fthiotidas 2017), the municipality of Lamia in central Greece, and Greek Strays for Expats in Greece.

$104 (100 euros) on Nov. 11 to help with the care of Dimitrakis, a handsome Greek shepherd mix who was found emaciated and suffering from Leishmaniasis and other parasitic ailments. Rescued and cared for by Voula Tzanou of Adespota (Strays) Seikh Sou, whose plate is beyond full with dozens of difficult cases like that of Dimitrakis and far worse, yet who valiantly continues her work for the animals in northern Greece.

$104 (100 euros) on Nov. 13 to help with fostering expenses for Irma, a four-year-old, lovely black and tan hound whose spine was broken when a car hit her in the Ioannina area of Greece. She needs surgery to repair the damage and relieve her pain. Rescued by a team including Eleni Stamati and Greek Strays for Expats in Greece. She is now being cared for by Forgotten Paws of Greece on the island of Zakynthos, who specialize in disabled animals.

$100 on Dec. 30 as a small thank-you to Last Chance at Life (LCAL) an amazing group who in 2014 took in terrier mixes Marisol and Lisa, terrified survivors of a hoarder, after I spotted them at a Los Angeles county shelter. With tender loving care, LCAL addressed their medical as well as their emotional issues, and found them wonderful forever families.

$55 (50 euros) on Dec. 13 for a stray, emaciated dog who chewed off his paw to escape a trap, and who suffers from a horrible skin condition and other ailments. Rescued by hardworking Voula Tzanou of Adespota (Strays) Seikh Sou in northern Greece.

$21 (20 euros) on Oct. 31 for scratch cards dedicated to various animals by Greek Strays for Expats in Greece.

Many thanks from Rescue Diva to all our 2022 donation recipients for their dedication to improving the lives of animals! 🙂

Please share this article to help spread the word about Rescue Diva, so that we can sell more of our romantic fiction stories and donate more for the animals.

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Rescue Diva helps needy animals and their rescuers around the world, such as:

~ Diva assists Kefalonia Animal Trust (KATs) in Greece to provide free spay/neuter for hundreds of animals per year, which is one of the best ways to prevent the abandonment and misery of puppies like Noah and Kyla.

~ Diva donates to Center for Animal Protection and Education (CAPE), Praying for Paws, Southern California Siamese Rescue, Aniplant (Cuba) and many other groups.

~ Diva does in-the-trenches rescues of angels like Robin, Chance, and Tiger, with help from San Diego Animal Support Foundation; of Marisol and Lisa, with help from Last Chance at Life; of Mandi (Diamandi), with help from Graeske Hunde, and of Roki, with help from Stichting AAI.

About the author:

Katerina Lorenzatos Makris is a career journalist, author, and editor. Her fiction includes 17 novels for Simon and Schuster, E.P. Dutton, Avon, and other major publishers (under the name Kathryn Makris), as well as a teleplay for CBS-TV, and a short story for The Bark magazine.

Katerina has written hundreds of articles for regional wire services and for outlets such as National Geographic Traveler, The San Francisco Chronicle, Travelers’ Tales, NBC’s Petside.com, and Animal Issues Reporter.

Together with coauthor Shelley Frost, Katerina wrote a step-by-step guide for hands-on, in-the-trenches dog rescue, Your Adopted Dog: Everything You Need to Know About Rescuing and Caring for a Best Friend in Need (The Lyons Press), coming soon in digital format!