National News Correspondent Joins Hundreds to Support VPI K9K Pet Cancer Awareness Walk

E! News’ Ashlan Gorse and her dog, Aurora will join VPI and hundreds of pet parents and their pooches at the VPI K9K Pet Cancer Awareness Walk to help create awareness and stress the importance of early cancer detection on Nov. 11, 2012 at the Shoreline Village Lighthouse Peninsula in Long Beach, Calif. VPI has partnered with the Animal Cancer Foundation (ACF) to host the VPI K9K Cancer Awareness Walk and raise funds for pet cancer research, the number one disease-related killer of dogs in the United States.

Aurora was diagnosed with cancer just over a year ago. Six years old at the time, Aurora had an unusual bump on her elbow so Gorse immediately took her to the veterinarian only to find it was a nerve sheath tumor, and it was cancerous. After undergoing surgery to remove the tumor and six weeks of daily radiation, the prognosis was positive. Her fight is not over. Since then she has developed cancer in her chest and is being treated with chemotherapy in the form of a daily pill and may also have to undergo surgery again to remove the tumor(s). Gorse is still optimistic and Aurora is happy, playful and still lives an active life.

“Early detection and the myriad of cancer treatments available to pets have made the difference for Aurora,” says Gorse. “Events like the VPI K9K Pet Cancer Awareness Walk raise awareness and unite families and pets who have been impacted. For Aurora and I, it also marks a year of effective treatment, we are proud to be a part of the day and encourage others to join us.”

Registration for the 6th Annual VPI K9K Pet Cancer Awareness Walk can be done online or onsite beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Nov. 11. The fun-filled 3K (1.8 miles) walk, for both people and their pets, will take participants around one of Long Beach’s most beautiful recreational areas, Shoreline Village Lighthouse & Peninsula. Proceeds go to the Animal Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for cancer by funding research in and increasing public awareness of comparative oncology, the study of naturally occurring cancers in pets and people. For more information and to register, click here.