Chester was born in White Bluff, Tennessee in October of 2001.  He was one of the largest puppies in the litter of pure-bred white Labradors.  It was obvious that he would be one of the two dogs we would take home that day when we sat down and he crawled in my lap and fell asleep.  How could we resist?!  As he and his brother Webster grew, Chester was always the larger of the two.  Webster had an insatiable passion for chasing Frisbees.  Chester on the other hand loved to eat!  He would eat all day if we’d let him.  He has grown to be an extremely loving and gentle dog.  Just like the first day we met, he still considers himself a lap dog, climbing in our laps every chance he gets – albeit a little more difficult than it used to be now that he weighs close to 100 pounds (remember, he loves to eat!).

Last March, my wife and I were out of the country for 10 days on a mission trip.  When we returned home we noticed a large growth on Chester’s left hip.  We took him that night to get an x-ray and discovered that whatever it was happened to be located in his abdomen.  Our Vet recommended immediate surgery the next morning.  It turned out to be a 12 pound tumor – the largest our Vet had ever seen.  Had it ruptured, Chester would have bled to death almost immediately.  When we found out that the tumor was cancerous, it was recommended that Chester begin a series of chemotherapy treatments in an attempt to enhance his quality of life and buy him more time.  He has received four out of six treatments thus far.  The affects of the chemo last 3-4 days causing him to lose energy and his appetite (which is hard to watch since we know eating is his favorite pastime).  However, once he recovers, he is quick to pick up where he left off. 

We are moving to run an orphanage in Ensenada, Mexico in July, which requires us to take a pay-cut and incur significant expenses for the cost of the move.  But, we are excited to say we are taking our boys with us.  We consider ourselves extremely blessed to have found out about and received assistance from the Brown Dog Foundation.  They have not only helped to save Chester’s life, but they have also brought us great joy during a time of immense transition in our lives.