Saturday, June 19, 2010

Blessings

The Blessing of the Animals, officiated by the Reverend Pattie Handloss.






















Hudson and Murphy being blessed.

More From Boston

Here's Angus. He's walking for Rita Cook.









Waiting for the festivities to start.












Twiggy already enjoying the day.

Today’s The Day!

It’s been 826 days and 2301 miles in the making, but today’s the day Luke, Hudson, and Murphy have walked their final mile into Boston. Earlier this morning the Memorial Service was introduced by our long time friend and supporter, Lydia Best, who lost her own dog, Princess Daisy, to cancer. (Princess Daisy was the cover girl of our first Calendar.) Luke then spoke briefly, welcoming everyone to the Memorial and Final Mile walk, then introducing the Reverend Pattie Handloss. The Reverend, retired associate vicar of the Old North Church in the North End and Animal Rescue League of Boston overseer, gave a moving service, reading the prayer of St. Francis. Later today she will be officiating at the Blessing of the Animals. There’s a nice article about Reverend Handloss here.

After the Memorial Service, Luke and The Boys led the Final Mile to the Boston Common, followed by friends they’ve made from over 20 states. As the Walk progressed more and more people and dogs joined them. What a thrilling accomplishment! As he spoke to the crowd, all spoke of all the Angels who are on the Memorial Shirt. He said they watched over them and inspired him to continue when he thought he couldn't anymore. And he thanked Malcolm: "It's been some grand journey and today we will fulfill Malcolm's legacy. I just wish he was here to welcome us home."

After the Final Mile, people will share an afternoon of fun at the Puppy Up! Festival in the Boston Common. After posing with The Boys for photos, Luke will have the ceremonial cutting of the hair, which will be donated to Locks of Love. He’ll then be whisked off to get a proper haircut and get spiffed up for the Gala. In the meantime Puppy Up! partiers will enjoy a Boston Police K9 Demo, Top Hat and Tails Canine Freestyle Performance, Owner/Dog Look-Alike Contest, Children’s Pet Show, and lots of vendor and sponsor booths. The weather so far is looking good for the whole day!

Check out the special shirts The Boys got for the event!

And then of course in the evening the Puppy Up! Gala gets underway. Dinner, cocktails, the Puppy Up! song sung by Luke, more live music, silent and live auctions, dancing – well, a regular pawrty! Murphy will give a live demonstration of his passion for The Honest Kitchen food, there will be a few speeches and much congratulation, and Luke will tell everyone about 2 Million Dogs, our next project.

It's turning out to be a full and wonderful day for everyone.

Lone Star Pyrs and Paws already set up at the Puppy Up! Festival. All the way from Texas!

On The Way to Boston

Here is Chief, a tripawd in his special wagon, getting ready to head to Boston and his dad Kerry. Robbin Sneddon writes, "Kerry has been practicing packing early for our Boston trip, just to be sure all the items will fit on the back of and inside the Honda Element! Us with 2 Pyrs inside, with most all our luggage AND the wheelchair AND the yellow wagon, on the outside. I just went out to see how he made out and things are fitting together wonderfully! Check out the special license plate a friend made for the event!!





















And here's Lily Lisle, also a tripawd, catching a nap on the way from Colorado to Boston.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Congratulations!


Luke, Hudson, and Murphy hit the Boston city limits June 16, 2010 at approximately 11 AM EDT! Congratulations, Boys! Well done!

Sometimes It's Good To Be Dirty!


The Sandy Paw in Winthrop, MA has been following The Boys' journey and Stephanie Vamos wanted everyone in the Boston area to know that, in honor of Hudson & Murphy, "We want to give anyone associated with Puppy Up! a free self-serve dog wash for the rest of the month. All they have to do is come into the store and say 'Hudson & Murphy sent me.' We are so proud of what you have done and want to give something back to everyone that has supported you. See you soon!!!" Thanks to all the generous folks at The Sandy Paw!

The Sandy Paw is located at 44 Woodside Avenue, Winthrop, MA 02152 and their number is (617) 846-7297.

And don't forget to tell them 'Hudson and Murphy sent me!'

Puppy Up!

Almost Home?

Hudson and Murphy are almost home! And honestly, Hudson is wearing Murphy and Papi out with his constant, “Are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet???” Yes, Hudsy, you are almost There Yet! And wait until you get there. What fun is in store for you and all the people who have fallen in love with you and Murphy over the last two years. And just think, maybe you won’t have to wear booties for a while. (Shall we spoil it for him and tell him that he and Murph will be in black tie and tails Saturday night? Naw … let it be a surprise!)

Speaking of Saturday night and the Gala ...

Registration for Gala is Reopened – In the last 2 Dogs 2 Day I said the registration for the Gala had closed and that tickets would be available at the door. Well, I got part of the story right. The registration had been closed but due to popular demand REGISTRATION for the GALA has been REOPENED and will stay open until FRIDAY! Yeah! But if you’re going to the Gala, please reserve your tickets NOW. I can’t stress this enough. If you want a seat at the table (quite literally), you need to register for the Gala here . Ginger needs a head count for the chef, like yesterday.

Oh, and the part I got wrong? There will be only a very limited number of tickets available at the door. Ginger couldn’t stress this enough. Because the Copley needs to know how many people they will be feeding Saturday night, we can only offer a very few tickets at the last minute. This makes sense, right?

So, please, if you’ll be breaking bread with us at the Copley at the Puppy Up! Gala Saturday evening, and you haven’t already put in your reservations, please get your reservations in now. If for some reason you can’t register on the site, please email Ginger and register through her at: ginger@2dogs2000miles.org. Like Ginger said, “If I don’t know they’re coming, they might not get it!” So register on-line or email her to assure yourself a delicious dinner and great evening at the Puppy Up! Gala. If you do email Ginger, (and please try on-line reservations first), put in the subject line “Registering for Gala.” This little piece of information will be a big help to her as she sifts through the hundreds of emails she gets. Whether you order through the site or via Ginger, you will need to provide the following:

choice of dinner (chicken, vegetarian, or children’s plate), your first and last name, street address, city, state, country, phone number, zip code, email address, and credit card information.

If you have already registered, you’re fine. You’re ‘in the system’ and your tickets will be under your name at the door. Yes, we have your number! So you needn’t do the panic dance. But if you haven’t reserved your tickets, please do so now. Thanks!

Pictured from top to bottom: Frog Pond in the Boston Common; walking though the almost 50 acres of the Boston Common -- dating from 1634, it is one of the oldest city parks in the country; the Parkman Bandstand, built in 1912 and restored in 1996, where many of the Puppy Up! Festivities will take place. We hope to see you there!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Seed of Australian Blushwood Tree Holds Much Potential














The seed of the Blushwood Tree in the north Queensland rainforests of Australia may hold a potential to cure cancer in animals. A natural chemical found in the tree, EBC-46, has been found to selectively kill aggressive cancer cells in animals.

In the video, Dr. Jane Miller, a veterinarian at the Newtown Veterinary Clinic in Victoria, Australia has used the substance, both topically and as an injection, on several of her patients with quite aggressive cancers and has had significant success. In some of her patients the tumors have been completely destroyed. Unlike conventional treatments such as chemo and radiation, EBC-46 seems to have no ill side-effects.

The same video goes on to interview Professor Nicolas Wilgren, head medical oncologist at Westmead Hospital in Sidney, Australia, who also sees promise in EBC-46.

In the online article, Victoria Gordon, of EcoBiotics, an Atherton Tableland-based company, said they hoped to go to human clinical trials later this year.

Dr Gordon said a single dose injection of the extract had been effective in 50 critically ill dogs and about a dozen cats and horses.

"This is proving to be something exceptional," she said.

EBC-46 will be available to Australian vets in the next couple of months.

From the on-line white paper from EcoBiotics we read, " EBC-46 is delivered locally in a single treatment by direct injection into tumours, or by topical application onto the tumour surface, and works principally by stimulating the patient’s innate immune system to destroy the tumour.

EBC-46 is active against a wide range of tumour types and is potentially useful in treating any tumour that can be accessed for direct injection or topical application of the drug.

EBC-46 only works locally at the site of delivery and there is no current evidence to suggest that EBC-46 has any systemic efficacy against metastatic disease in affecting remote secondary tumours."

For more on the clinical trials of EBC-64, please visit this link: http://www.ecobiotics.com.au/clinical-trials.htm

(photo credit: Brian Cassey)

Monday, June 14, 2010

Boston News -- Less Than 15 Miles To Go!

Less than 15 miles to go until Luke and the Fuzzybutts arrive in Boston! The excitement is growing!

In This Issue

1. Where ARE they?
2. Wonderful Metal Dog Sculpture
3. Boston Puppy Up! Gala Info
4. Memorial Shirts

1. Where ARE They? If you're in the Boston area, you'll probably want to get out with your puppers and walk a mile or two with Luke, Hudson, and Murphy. They plan to walk today (Monday), Wednesday, and Friday. Luke will be posting exactly where they will be walking on Facebook. You can find their schedule by clicking here.

2. Wonderful Metal Dog Sculpture -- There will be a wonderful metal sculpture, donated by our great friends and supporters at Fetch a Cure, of a Memorial Dog at the Gala on Saturday night at the Fairmont Copley. We're inviting everyone who attends to add their dog's name to the sculpture with colored paint pens. (The sculpture stands about 3' high, so there is plenty of room to add names.) You can see others' previous art work of their own Pup Art statues here at the Fetch a Cure Site. We hope you'll be at the Copley to take part in this memorable and lasting tribute to your animals and the Walk.

3. Boston Puppy Up! Gala Info – Please come share the evening with us! With less than a week away, you can bet people are getting excited about The Boys' arrival in Boston and all the festivities surrounding that arrival. You can still register for the Gala at the Fairmont Copley, which includes cocktails, seated dinner, silent and live auctions, stories from the road, and of course a chance to spend the evening with our guests of honor, Luke, Hudson, and Murphy, and many of the friends and supporters they have made in the last 2300 miles. Registration will continue through the week, but Ginger tells me that after today we cannot guarantee seating. Like she says, "Make sure you order your tickets for the Gala soon to make sure you have a seat. You'll get to party with the "Big Dog" and the Fuzzybutts! And hear firsthand the answer to `What's Next?'" So please buy your Puppy Up! Gala tickets today. Click here to be taken to the registration page. We'll see you there!

4. Memorial Shirts – Ginger also wanted me to let you know that Memorial Shirt 6 is still available but orders may take 10 to 15 days to be filled. The shirts are great! A lasting memory of the amazing journey we have all taken with The Boys and a tribute to those dogs (yes, and a couple of cats too) who have been touched by cancer, and have walked with Luke, Hudson, and Murphy in spirit and kept them safe on their amazing journey. Please order here at our Puppy Up! Store.

News on the upcoming 2011 Cancer Can't Keep a Good Dog Down calendar contest soon. For information on how to enter, visit our blog here.

Puppy Up!

Erich & His 4 Pack

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

From The Woo Hoo Report

2 Dogs, 2000 Miles a Walk from Austin to Boston

Posted by stephcolin on Jun-7-2010

Article by Ginger Morgan

FROM THE ROAD, NEW ENGLAND, U.S.A.—On Saturday, June 19, 2010, Luke Robinson and his two Great Pyrenees, Hudson and Murphy, will complete their 2,000-mile journey by walking their final mile into Boston, MA.

Beginning in March 2008 from Austin, TX, Luke Robinson and his dogs have been walking across the US to raise awareness for canine and human cancer. Luke’s inspiration for his incredible journey came from his desire to both remember and to look for answers after his first Great Pyrenees “Malcolm” lost a hard fought battle with Osteosarcoma also known as bone cancer. He put his material life in storage, packed his tent and hit the road.

Recently Luke and his two companion dogs, eight year-old Murphy and three year-old Hudson were guests on the Today Show where they shared their skills for survival on the road for the past two years.

Boston will be the setting for a weekend long dog-friendly celebration to welcome Luke and his boys! Currently there are friends, family and dog lovers from 18 states planning to walk the Final Mile with Luke, Hudson and Murphy. Prior to sharing the final mile into Boston, all will gather at the Kelleher Rose Garden at Back Bay Fens for a brief Memorial Service, June 19th, at 9:30 am to remember the pets and people they have lost to cancer. Following the service a moment of silence will be observed so that we might remember all our loved ones touched by cancer.

The final mile beginning at Back Bay Fens and going to the Boston Common, led by Luke, Hudson, and Murphy, will then begin after the Memorial Service.

The Puppy Up! Festival on Saturday, June 19, at the Boston Common Parkman Bandstand is the doggie event of the season with food, shopping and entertainment. The Canine Hereditary Cancer Consortium (CHCC) will be at the festival collecting DNA samples from dogs. The samples collected by the CHCC are for a nationwide project involving more than 30 scientific investigators at nearly a dozen institutions, which plan to use dog DNA to not only discover the causes of cancer in dogs, but in people, too.

Later that evening join Luke and his boys for a Gala Event at the elegant Fairmont Copley Hotel featuring a silent auction and dinner. Luke will also reveal a new adventure that dog lovers from around the world can participate in: 2 Million Dogs, to bite back even harder at cancer!
Robinson, Hudson and Murphy are currently walking in the Providence, Rhode Island area making their way to Boston.

For more information on attending this unique event visit www.2dogs2000miles.org or for information about our next phase visit 2 Million Dogs.

Follow this link to find out information about our Boston events: 2 Dogs 2000 Miles Boston Celebrations

Stop by our Puppy Up! Store for some really cool stuff!

Puppy Up!
Ginger Morgan
901.619.2286

www.2dogs2000miles.org
twitter.com/hudsonandmurphy
twitter.com/2dogs2000miles


(pictured -- Luke enjoying some down time with Murphy and Hudson at the Fetch A Cure event they recently attended. Luke holding the Fetch A Cure Humanitarian Award The Boys received. Congratulations!)

Monday, June 7, 2010

2 Dogs 2 Day June 7, 2010

Someone's done something at Yahoo (aptly named) and we're not able to post the 2 Dogs 2 Day right now. Because we're so close to Boston and have many things to tell you about, including some important deadlines, I'm posting the Daily here today. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Greetings!

In This Issue

1. Congratulations!
2. Deadlines Extended But Don’t Wait
3. Can You Help?
4. In The News
5. Canine Health Foundation News Alert Blog
6. Volunteers Needed
7. Can Anyone Trade Rooms?
8. Condolences

1. Congratulations! Luke, Hudson and Murphy went to Pups On Parade Friday night in Richmond, VA (they drove) to the benefit for Fetch A Cure. (They're doing important work in cancer care and treatment. Please check out their website here: http://fetchacure.com/) Joann Silverman, Director of Fetch a Cure, had a birthday cake for Murphy donated by Michele Lynett. Murphy loved the cake! And Luke was awarded the 2010 Humanitarian Award! They made it back in Rhode Island in their little rented Kia Soul. Luke said the Fuzzybutts fit in it just fine!

2. Deadlines Extended But Don’t Wait – Several deadlines have been extended, but not for long so please don’t wait to order:

If you’re going to our Boston Festivities and need a hotel room, the Red Roof Inn in Woburn, MA is offering a 2 Dogs 2000 Miles/2 Million Dogs discount rate of $64.99 a night for June 17-20 (pets are allowed and the fee has been waived for our guests). Please call 781-935-7110 and mention discount code CP605357. Deadline to reserve rooms at this rate is June 10th.
According to Hudson, “Mommy G (Ginger) sez Memorial Shirt #6 is in and can be purchased at https://co.clickandpledge.com/advanced/default.aspx?wid=30330 . Order before June 9th to make sure you receive it before Boston! Luvs U Huds”

The deadline to be a vendor at the Puppy Up! Festival in Boston is TODAY, June 7th. Email Sheila at sheila@2dogs2000miles.org

The deadline to order the fans has been extended to TODAY, June 7. (It can take up to 5 business days to ship.) Please fill out this form
http://www.2dogs2000miles.org/uploads/order_form-25-4.doc
and email it to store2483@theupsstore.com. For more information contact Hope Lisle at hopelisle@yahoo.com. The fans can either be In Memory of or In Honor of a pet or person who has experienced cancer.

3. Can You Help? Can you help a beautiful sheltie/husky mix named Sox? She has a lump on her thigh/hip area that has been diagnosed as Mast Cell tumor grade 1. She is friendly and sweet. She has very good chance to be cancer free after tumor removal. She is guessed to be about three years old. She weighs 35 lbs. For more details on this beautiful dog, and to see pictures, please visit our blog: http://puppyup.blogspot.com/2010/06/can-you-help-this-beautiful-girl.html contact info for SOX: Natalie Bartizek 513-331-9633 nblistmail@gmail.com


4. In The News – Luke and The Boys are in the news:

Luke is on BARK Radio http://barkradio.com/2010/06/02/luke-robinson/ “Luke Robinson and his two Great Pyrenees, Murphy and Hudson, are very nearly finished with their 2,400 mile walk from Austin to Boston. Terry and Dee talked with Luke recently about the The Boys, the Boston celebration including the Puppy Up! Festival, a new comparative oncology study, 2 Million Dogs, and much, much more.

Also please check out the great article on The Boys posted on the Halo Pets blog: http://blog.halopets.com/2010/05/24/he-walked-over-2000-miles/

5. Canine Health Foundation News Alert Blog --http://2dogs2000miles.blogspot.com/2010/06/canine-health-foundation-news-alert.html

The Canine Health Foundation is pleased to announce the publication of the final video recorded at the 2009 National Parent Club Canine Health Conference held in St. Louis. The October conference, sponsored by Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, brought together leading researchers and representatives from national breed clubs to discuss the current state of canine health research, and where the future will lead. The video released is Dr. Matthew Breen, "Canine Cancer & Comparative Genomics: New Technologies, New Opportunities." http://ondemand.thecanonhouse.com/CHF/Breen/Breen.html

We will continue to post important videos and articles on the blog.

6. Volunteers Needed -- We need volunteers to help with the Puppy Up! Festival. Volunteers needed from 8am-4pm for the Festival, setup and tear down. We have 2 hour shifts available so you can still enjoy the day with your dog. Contact Sheila at sheila@2dogs2000miles.org

7. Can Anyone Trade Rooms in Boston? Patty Gartmann pg4mk@fuse.net writes: I originally had our reservations at the Fairmont for a King bed room. However, I am rooming with a girl friend. We would prefer to have a room with two beds. I called the hotel and asked that they put on my paper that we prefer room with two beds but she cannot guarantee that will work out as our block of rooms is all booked up.

If someone has a room booked at the Fairmont with two beds and would prefer the king bed, we could swap. I would need their confirmation number and I will call the hotel for us. Thanks. Patty Gartmann Please contact Patty at her email address if you can help. Thanks!

8. Condolences – We send our sincere condolences to Dianne Sihksnel who just recently lost her dog Monet Larue. Monet will be one of hundreds on Memorial Shirt 6.

And deepest condolences to our good friend and volunteer Beverly Alba, who lost her greyhound to osteosarcoma.

Don’t forget those deadlines TODAY!

Puppy Up!

Erich & His 4 Pack

Important Links:

Our Home Page: http://www.2dogs2000miles.org/
2Dogs Blog: http://2dogs2000miles.blogspot.com/
Puppy Up Blog: http://puppyup.blogspot.com/
Facebook Direct Link: http://www.facebook.com/2dogs2000miles

Contact Ginger for media inquiries, and product orders: ginger@2dogs2000miles.org
Contact Erich concerning Daily & Blogs questions: erich@2dogs2000miles.org
We welcome your thoughts, opinions, comments & questions: feedback@2dogs2000miles.org
Every dog with cancer has a story. Send us yours at: puppyupstories@2dogs2000miles.org
Puppy Up! goodies available at: http://tinyurl.com/y2uow24

Please come to Boston in the Springtime for the Puppy Up! Welcome Home Events: http://tinyurl.com/y5uukn2

Speaking of Boston, if you are able to donate items for the Live & Silent Auctions, you can find a handy on-line form right here: http://tinyurl.com/23a2pj3
Find out what becoming a Boston Events Sponsor is all about: http://tinyurl.com/2e543me

Join the next part of the journey: http://2milliondogs.org/

Send in your dog’s photo and story for the 2011 calendar contest: calendar2011@2dogs2000miles.org For details: http://2dogs2000miles.blogspot.com/2010/04/hudson-and-murphy-say-send-us-your.html

Did you know we have a Community Walk Page, where you can see all the places The Boys have visited? Check it out: http://www.communitywalk.com/2dogs2000miles

Many generous companies support our walk. Here are just some of them. Your company could be here too:
The Honest Kitchen: http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/index.shtml
Nature’s Variety: http://www.naturesvariety.com/
Wagatha’s Organic Dog Treats: http://www.wagathas.com/
Halo: http://www.halopets.com/
Vectra 3D: http://www.summitvetpharm.com/
Whole Earth Provisions Company: http://www.wholeearthprovision.com/
Aqua Paws http://www.fittercritters.org/
Especially For Pets: http://www.especiallyforpets.com/
Woody’s Dog Wash: http://www.woodysdogbath.com/
Eddie’s Wheels for Pets: http://www.eddieswheels.com/
Red Roof Inn: http://www.redroof.com/
Dee the Dog Trainer: http://www.deethedogtrainer.com

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Canine Health Foundation News Alert


This is a very informative video (about an hour) on DNA, comparative genomics, and canine cancer. We hope it will be information you can use.

Final Presentation Video Released from the 2009 National Parent Club Canine Health Conference [Monday, May 31, 2010]

The Canine Health Foundation is pleased to announce the publication of the final video recorded at the 2009 National Parent Club Canine Health Conference held in St. Louis. The October conference, brought together leading researchers and representatives from national breed clubs to discuss the current state of canine health research, and where the future will lead.

The video released is a lecture presented by Dr. Matthew Breen, "Canine Cancer & Comparative Genomics: New Technologies, New Opportunities."

Click here to view this and others videos from the 2009 National Parent Club Canine Health Conference.

"Advances in genomics technologies over the past decade have been astonishing, leading to a revolution in biomedical research and an impact on human society that may rival that of the industrial revolution. The application of genomics to canine biomedical research has seen a number of significant advances as we strive to enhance the health and welfare of our companions. Comparative genomics may be defined broadly as any area of research in which the sequence and function of genomes of different species are compared. With complete genome sequences available both for human and dog, we now are able to identify regions of both genomes that are shared and are associated with disease, and thus begin to understand which genes specifically are playing key roles in a variety of disease processes. The core similarity of genes defining human and dog allows the dog to be considered as a valid biomedical model system of numerous human genetic disease, including cancers. The comparative value of biomedical research is widely accepted and there is every expectation that data generated from studies of canine diseases ultimately will have a major impact on human health."

"Dr. Matthew Breen completed his PhD in cytogenetics in 1990 and then spent two years as a Post Doc in Molecular Genetics at the UK Medical Research Council's Human Genetics Unit in Edinburgh. Dr. Breen then spent four years working for the research arm of the Australian Thoroughbred industry, returning to the UK in 1996 where his laboratory developed molecular cytogenetics reagents, resources and techniques for application to canine genome mapping, comparative cytogenetics and cancer studies. In 2002 Dr. Breen relocated his laboratory to North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine as part of their Genomics initiative. His research interests continue to focus on the genomics, genome mapping and the comparative aspects of canine cancer. Dr. Breen currently has a number of active grants from the CHF that are focused on the molecular cytogenetic evaluation of canine tumors."

Contact:
Erika Werne
Director of Education & Communications
Canine Health Foundation
919-334-4010
888-682-9696
www.CanineHealthFoundation.org

"The Canine Health Foundation, founded in 1995, is the largest nonprofit worldwide to fund health research exclusively for canines. Our goal is to help dogs live longer, healthier lives. The Canine Health Foundation is the leader in non-invasive genetic health research, stem cell research, and biotherapeutics benefiting both canines and humans."