The following is a story from my cousin, and I'm happy to help raise awareness of his efforts and this great story.
Five years ago our cousin,
Chase, was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (a rare bone cancer), one day after his ninth
birthday. During the next few months Chase had chemotherapy treatments on a
regular basis at Children’s Hospital in Omaha, NE. At the same time, Stacey (Malcom) Laib’s brother,
Patrick, began training his Great Dane to be a therapy dog, with the intent to
visit Chase at the hospital. Bentley, a harlequin
Great Dane, was no ordinary dog that was in training. Bentley had grown so much over that year that
he was in the running for the World’s Largest Dog. He missed out on the record by less than an
inch, but he was awarded the record for the World’s Longest Dog Tail and is now
the World’s Largest Therapy Dog. But
while all this was going on Chase was able to complete his treatments before
Bentley was ready to come visit him in Omaha.
So Patrick decided to put the training that
Bentley had done to good use. He
traveled around the country raising money and awareness for cancer research,
with a focus on pediatric and canine cancers. He visited many hospitals and events around the country bringing smiles
and a big surprise when Bentley would enter.
From that experience of travelling and
watching Bentley grow up, we have created an amazing children’s book. This illustrated book follows Bentley from a
disappointing experience at the park with other dogs, to his owner having him
volunteer at a hospital. In the end,
Bentley realizes that being too big to fit in with the other dogs was an
advantage when it came to entertaining the children. Especially when he met a little boy named Chase
that was very sad to be at the hospital.
Bentley the Book, was created to bring a
smile to all the children that read it, as well as give them the message that
it’s okay to be different. As many pediatric
cancer patients have trouble adjusting to life while being treated for their
cancer. As they lose their hair, they
are not able to attend school on a regular basis and must avoid many public
events due to concerns of infection.
On Wednesday, July 1,
2015 we launched a campaign to raise the funds necessary for the production
of the now completed, Bentley the Book. The intent is to produce and sell enough books over the next year to be
able to donate one book to EVERY child that is diagnosed with cancer. Each year approximately 15,700 children hear
the words you have cancer. We are
working with a network of hospitals to have a book waiting for each child when
they arrive for treatment.
If you have a moment check out Bentley
online, follow him on Facebook (Bentley GreatDane and Bentley's Children's Book) and BentleyTheBook.
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