Donor Stories

Dr. Nicole C. Close and her husband Christopher Albrecht have supported the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine in many different ways, all with the same goal—creating tangible impact to help advance veterinary health.

When their beloved laboradors Loki and Thor were diagnosed with nasal planum squamous cell carcinoma, clinicians at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital and the Center for Companion Animal Health (CCAH) cared for both of them during a difficult time of their health journey.

Anne Marie Messano Petrie and her husband Geoff Petrie are grieving the loss of their beloved golden retriever Winston, who passed away last year from hemangiosarcoma (HSA). A particularly aggressive canine cancer, HSA is known as a silent killer. Although some treatments are available to extend a dog’s life, it is rarely curable. In the midst of their loss, they have established Winston’s Golden Promise, a fund in support of UC Davis’ canine cancer research.