12/13/2022
Hello, my name is Hank.
I have quite a story to tell. I was an Amish workhorse that was dumped at auction with an eye "injury." The "injury" turned out to be an advanced case of squamous cell carcinoma that had obliterated my right eye. Once I was home at CDHR, Dr. Golub and the volunteers did everything to save my eye, but the cancer was too advanced, and I had my right eye removed.
Then Dr. Golub found a second tumor on the cornea of my left eye. And she went to war with the tumor—she performed multiple eye-cryo (freezing) procedures and administered a topical chemo treatment every day for a long time. And guess what? The tumor was almost gone, but for a tiny bit of it below the surface, so off I went to Tufts Equine Medical Center to have their ophthalmologist surgically remove the remaining section of the tumor. They saved my left eye. ♥️
But this is not a sad story. Cancer was not going to take me down. I received the best medical care from our dedicated corp of volunteers who looked after me and treated my eye. I was cared for and loved. 24/7. I fought a hard battle, and Dr. Golub and our volunteers refused to give up fighting for my left eye.
And I healed. Both physically and emotionally. I am now cancer-free, with no evidence of disease. I wear a special UV protection mask to keep my left eye healthy and protected from ultraviolet radiation.
I've come full circle from that sick, abused horse in so much pain physically and emotionally to the leader of shenanigans at the farm.
CDHR doesn't believe that we draft horses are "throw away" horses. They fight for us. They take in horses like me—a horse no one wanted, even at the auction- and give us the best medical care and emotional support so we can heal and have the opportunity for a new life.
So you see, your support is vital to our care. Please consider donating a bale of hay to me, "Hank the Cancer Warrior," during our Buy a Bale Fundraiser: https://www.ctdraftrescue.org/buyabale
Love, Hank
