Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Saving man’s best friend

byEmilie Ng
20 May 2015 - Updated on 1 April 2021
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA
Champ’s heroes: Champ and his owner Michael Donelly greeted by Lourdes Hill College students Abby Wood and Georgia Karahihas.

Champ’s heroes: Champ and his owner Michael Donelly greeted by Lourdes Hill College students Abby Wood and Georgia Karahihas.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Champ’s heroes: Champ and his owner Michael Donelly greeted by Lourdes Hill College students Abby Wood and Georgia Karahihas.
Champ’s heroes: Champ and his owner Michael Donelly greeted by Lourdes Hill College students Abby Wood and Georgia Karahihas.

By Emilie Ng

MICHAEL Donelly’s furry best friend and personal lifesaver could have another chance at life thanks to help from the neigbouring Catholic secondary high school.

Champ, a six-year-old border collie diagnosed with lymphoma cancer, has affectionately chased after students from Lourdes Hill College, Hawthorne, located across the road from Mr Donelly’s house, each morning and afternoon for six years.

“The (Lourdes Hill College) girls have always played with him over the six years,” Mr Donelly said.

“There’s always been a daily morning and afternoon session with Champ and the girls who catch the train to school.”

So when a group of girls from the college learnt Champ had been diagnosed with cancer, they opened their wallets and hearts to try and save him.

The college dedicated May 11-15 to raising money for Champ as part of their annual animal welfare group campaign, PAW Week.

PAW’s 300 members are hoping to help Champ and Mr Donelly pay for $10,000 worth of chemotherapy.

Lourdes Hill has raised more than $1100 towards that target.

Mr Donelly said the charismatic dog had saved his life when he received him as a gift six years ago.

Related Stories

Cardinal Joseph Zen appears in court in Hong Kong on day of prayer for China

15 killed in Texas school shooting

Archbishop calls for prayers in “troubled times”

“Six of my really good friends gave me Champ when I was going through a bit of depression,” he said.

“I was in a really bad spot, probably wasn’t living the best lifestyle, wasn’t looking after myself very well and I had gone through a few rough patches.

“He became my best mate.

“He saved my life.”

When Champ was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer on March 17, Mr Donelly was unsure about paying for treatments.

“I always looked at other pet owners and thought it was madness spending that sort of money,” he said.

“I came back from the vet and I had a really bad night’s sleep, and woke up crying.

“I woke up the next morning and thought, ‘No, he saved my life so it’s time to pay it back’.”

PAW co-ordinator and teacher Natasha Scanlan said raising money for Champ was the school’s way of helping their neighbour in need.

PAW member and Year 10 student Georgia Karamihas said the college wanted to help Champ “immediately”.

“Everyone at school loves him,” she said.

“When everyone heard the news they were really sad for him and wanted to help immediately.”

Bulimba Vet Surgery and Masterpet donated hampers as raffle prizes for the college’s fundraising week.

Champ was in clinical remission at press time, and had completed 10 out of 19 weeks of chemotherapy treatment.

Donate to help save Champ’s life at www.youcaring.com/pet-expenses/save-champ/325106.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Force of faith

Next Post

Remembering Terri Schiavo

Emilie Ng

Emilie Ng is a Brisbane-based journalist for The Catholic Leader.

Related Posts

Hong Kong
World

Cardinal Joseph Zen appears in court in Hong Kong on day of prayer for China

25 May 2022
15 killed in Texas school shooting
News

15 killed in Texas school shooting

25 May 2022
Archbishop calls for prayers in “troubled times”
News

Archbishop calls for prayers in “troubled times”

24 May 2022
Next Post
Joy from despair: Bobby and Kristina Schindler on their recent visit to Brisbane. The late Terri Schiavo’s brother was a keynote speaker at the recent Cherish Life Queensland’s Hope for the Future Conference. Photo: Paul Dobbyn

Remembering Terri Schiavo

Timorese party: At Brisbane’s Timor-Leste community celebrations are (from left) David Guterres, Fr Gerry Hefferan, Mario Ricardo, Aurelio Costa and Canossian Sister Odete Moreira cutting a cake bearing the Timorese flag at their Independence Day celebrations. Photo: Mundu Corbafo

Thanking God for freedom

Pope gives coaches a game plan for life lessons

Popular News

  • Archbishop calls for prayers in “troubled times”

    Archbishop calls for prayers in “troubled times”

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • US bishops applaud San Francisco prelates pastoral response to Pelosi’s decades of abortion advocacy

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 15 killed in Texas school shooting

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Hong Kong
World

Cardinal Joseph Zen appears in court in Hong Kong on day of prayer for China

by Staff writers
25 May 2022
0

CARDINAL Joseph Zen appeared in court in Hong Kong on Tuesday, a date which is the World...

15 killed in Texas school shooting

15 killed in Texas school shooting

25 May 2022
Archbishop calls for prayers in “troubled times”

Archbishop calls for prayers in “troubled times”

24 May 2022
Myanmar military burns houses, destroys a village

US bishops applaud San Francisco prelates pastoral response to Pelosi’s decades of abortion advocacy

24 May 2022
Myanmar military burns houses, destroys a village

Myanmar military burns houses, destroys a village

24 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping