Button Helped Me Battle Breast Cancer, Part III

By Melissa Lisbon, HSSV Volunteer

Read Part I and Part II in this series.

As November drew to a close, the pure joy and love of my foster kitten, Button, continued to help me through my chemotherapy treatments. Soon it was time for Button to be neutered and be brought back to HSSV for adoption. I knew it would be difficult to say goodbye to this special little kitty, but I was also convinced that he needed his own home and his own people to love.

The day came for my husband and me to load Button in a carrier with his favorite toy and blanket and take him to HSSV’s satellite adoption center at PETCO in Saratoga. It was a Saturday morning. HSSV staff member Linda Ngo and a volunteer were cleaning the kitty compartments, getting ready for a day of visitors. My husband and I lingered, chatting with Linda and making sure little Button settled into his new compartment. Linda was so kind; I knew Button was in good hands.

It was hard leaving PETCO that day. Button had helped me more than he knew, and now it was time for me to help him get the life he deserved. My only hope was that he would get adopted quickly.

Later that day, I went to look up Button on the HSSV website ... He was gone! Could it be true that in four short hours, he’d already been adopted? An email to Linda confirmed it was true! He didn’t even have to spend a single night in the adoption center. Our sweet Button had been adopted by a nice couple. Through Linda, Button's new family emailed us a happy update and sent many precious photos including the two in this post.

My goal in fostering Button was to prepare him for adoption. I didn’t expect his presence to have the healing affect it did on me. It turned out that his kitten innocence, trust and endless cuddles were just the medicine I needed to distract me from my health situation and provide comfort during a difficult time. While Button was our guest, I enjoyed every moment by focusing on the present and not being preoccupied with the future. As a result of this experience, I've coined a new treatment which I call "cuddle therapy." The power of cuddle therapy should not be underestimated!

I intend to foster again. I look forward to future foster experiences and know that, despite the short time our foster animals are with us, each animal makes a significant impact on our lives. The real benefits of fostering an animal in need are definitely a two-way street.

Have you fostered an animal? Post a comment and share your story.
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Button Helped Me Battle Breast Cancer, Part II

By Melissa Lisbon, HSSV Volunteer

Read Part I in this series.

It was early November. I was about to begin chemotherapy in my battle against breast cancer. It was a difficult time in my life. Then, fate brought me Button. Button was a stray kitten -- too young for HSSV’s adoption program, but a perfect candidate for fostering.

I contacted HSSV’s special needs department and was given permission to foster Button. Our extra bathroom was converted into a kitten nursery equipped with a small litter box, food, water, warm blankets and cat toys. After Button was settled in, I took him to HSSV’s medical center where the veterinarians examined him and put him on a schedule for vaccinations and neutering.

Despite the fatigue I felt from my chemotherapy sessions, the highlights of my days were spent playing and cuddling with Button. Like any kitten, Button was full of energy and always ready to play. I had forgotten how playful six-week-old kittens are. They play with such abandon and are never lacking in creativity. The same old ribbon seemed to get reinvented each time he played with it. Button's energy and enthusiasm was addictive and I found myself totally amused by his antics. His pure joy always put a smile on my face.


In quieter moments, we would often sit together. Sometimes, Button would jump on my shoulder and nuzzle my neck. It was as if he wanted to be close to my face to better express his gratitude and love. He was extremely gentle. It was during these moments of cuddling that I felt totally relaxed and at ease.

I remember a particularly special moment. It had been a tough day for me. As if Button understood exactly what I was going through, he crawled into my lap and settled in. He brought his face very close to mine and peered into my eyes. It was at this moment that I believed this little kitten knew I could use some comforting.

Outside the door of our bathroom-turned-kitten-nursery, I had many more treatments to endure, but the time I spent with Button behind those doors brought me a type of therapy only an animal in need could provide.

Read next week: Button is ready for adoption…

Button Helped Me Battle Breast Cancer, Part I

By Melissa Lisbon, HSSV Volunteer

As an animal lover and advocate I understand the importance of fostering. What I wasn’t expecting from the foster experience was how much it would affect me personally.

Late last year I was diagnosed with breast cancer. By the time October came around, I had completed surgery and was about to begin chemotherapy. It was a difficult and stressful time in my life, to say the least. But, a welcome distraction was about to appear.

The day after Halloween, a neighbor called me to share that a tiny stray kitten had appeared on her doorstep the night before. Weaving around a line of trick-or-treaters, this little guy had braved the darkness and noise to come straight to her door for help. She brought him in from the cold, but was not in a position to keep him. So, I asked to see him.

It was love at first sight. He was a medium-hair "tuxedo" with soft hazel eyes and the sweetest, most trusting demeanor. I named him "Button" not only because he was as cute as a "button," but also after "Benjamin Button" – looking into his eyes, I sensed an older soul.

I knew I wasn’t in a position to make a lifelong commitment to Button, but I also knew he was too young to go directly into HSSV’s adoption program. As a volunteer for HSSV, I immediately thought of the feline foster program, which provides cats and kittens in a variety of special situations with the nurturing home environment they need. Some kitties need to heal from an injury. Others, like Button, need to come up to proper weight for spaying/neutering and receive socialization.

I couldn’t resist. I decided to ask HSSV if I could foster him myself.

Read next week: How fostering Button helped me heal