Abby, the Chemo Dog

A story of love, survival, and a promise kept. Most of the time, dogs die before humans. But before they do… they live.

They live bravely, boldly, and with a joy that makes even the quietest house feel alive. They protect without condition, love without hesitation, and forgive without remembering why they should. Their days are simple, filled with muddy paws, soft sighs, and heads resting on our laps just when we need it most.

I once knew a golden retriever named Abby. She was my first. At just a year and a half old, she was diagnosed with cancer. It was devastating. Surgeries followed, then chemotherapy. And in the stillness of one long night, I made a promise in prayer: If you let her live, we’ll pay it forward. She’ll serve others. I promise. Abby survived. And she did more than live, she healed.

She became a therapy dog, visiting hospitals and cancer centers with the same strength and gentleness she had shown through her own journey. People called her the “chemo dog.” She had a way of sensing pain, of curling up beside someone just when they needed to feel less alone. Her presence didn’t just comfort, it gave people hope.

For nearly eight years, Abby lived that promise. Her love was steady and wide, touching hearts one visit at a time. And then, as quietly as it came the first time, cancer returned. No warning. No signs. Just a sudden goodbye.

But even now, months later, Abby’s love hasn’t left me. Her spirit is woven into every act of kindness I offer, every story I write, every therapy visit I take with the dogs who followed her.

Because dogs may leave this earth, but they do not leave us. They leave behind a legacy of courage, compassion, and unconditional love.

Here’s to Abby, and to all the dogs who live bravely, love deeply, and leave paw prints that never fade.