Luke Robinson

Luke Robinson

In May 2004, my six year-old Great Pyrenees, Malcolm, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a particularly aggressive cancer of the bones. Less than a month later, his right front leg was amputated followed by chemotherapy, both of which are the prescribed treatment. Post-op recovery was promising. Within two weeks, he had learned to balance his 120 pound frame without assistance and not too much later, it was as if he was born three-legged.

I recall one fresh autumn morning on my front porch. I was caught up in the day's edition of the Wall Street Journal with Malcolm lying untethered nearby. Before I knew it, he had cleared the stairs, crossed the street, and treed a squirrel in a neighbor's yard. The image of him is still so perfect; standing upright with his one front leg resting on the trunk of a massive maple, barking maniacally.

Such was his spirit, undaunted by adversity and unsurpassed. We had a good year but unfortunately, osteosarcoma metastisizes in 90% of all cases. Malcolm wasn't spared. An x-ray taken in August 2005 revealed a grapefruit sized mass in his lung, which is almost always where the cancer spreads. He was given two weeks to a month to live.

Malcolm never stepped away from a fight (unless it involved a vacuum cleaner) and had no intention of going gentle into that good night. I cooked all of his meals, we traveled a bit, and he lived well for five more months until his body became too tired to continue. He was given rest January 11, 2006.

I wrote this poem not long after

"I left this place and head asea,
Into the swells, ne'er alee.
No land I seek, no shore no more.
For me there is no reverie."

And for me there will be no reverie until I see the end of canine cancer...

I've always tried to minimize my part in the walk.  Heck, I don't even think many people know my real name (it's Luke).

Hudson & Murphy, my boys, are the real celebrities here and I'm just the guy carrying their luggage.  But here are, perhaps, some interesting factoids about me:

-  Born in the Year of the Dog (but didn't realize the significance of this until recently)

- Got the heart to do this walk from my Mother and the mind from my Father.  The rest is all me.

-  Mother is a breast cancer survivor and had a bilateral masectomy

-  Have a BBA in Finance and Accounting

-  Made three promises to Malcolm before he was given rest

- Former founder and head of a high-tech and life science business consulting firm. 

For the first few years of Malcolm's life, I worked long and hard hours to get my company up and running.  A 90 hour-plus work week wasn't uncommon and I often slept on my office couch.  I loved my work and helping build startups and received several accolades and honors. 

But when Malcolm was diagnosed with cancer, none of that meant anything to me.  I rarely left his side after that.  It was truly a life defining experience and one that's made me re-evaluate my place in the world and what my contribution can be.

 

www.2dogs2000miles.org