Boyd Adams

Boyd Adams is a calm, thoughtful, and kind man, with a great passion for the outdoors. Having served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War, he is no stranger to the grit and determination necessary for a battle. These qualities would serve Boyd once more when, in 2005, he discovered a tennis ball-sized tumor in his right thigh. The mass was a cancerous tumor identified as liposarcoma, a result of exposure to Agent Orange during his time in Vietnam.

After his tumor came back in 2010, Boyd sought out the expert care of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ronald Hugate of the Colorado Limb Consultants. Expertise was critical in Boyd’s case, as his tumor was entangled with the muscle fibers around the sciatic nerve. For six years, Boyd’s cancer stayed at bay. However, in 2016, a third surgery was necessary to remove a new tumor.

After all three surgeries, Boyd has undergone intensive physical therapy, which has enabled him to resume most normal daily activities. While he is still recovering from his most recent surgery, he has recently visited Ketchikan, Alaska to go deep-sea fishing. Boyd hopes someday to talk Dr. Hugate into joining him on one of his fishing trips, as Dr. Hugate has given him the great gift of mobility. He also looks forward to returning to other activities he enjoys, including skiing, hunting, and hiking!

Griffon

Griffon is a mountain-living, ‘puppicino’ loving, 10-year-old Black Labrador Retriever. He first came into his family as a foster dog through Retriever Rescue of Colorado, and described by his father as their first “foster failure”. They loved Griffon so much, they decided to make their home his forever home by adopting him.

A prolonged limp warranted a visit to Griffon’s veterinarian, where he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his front right leg. The owners of Dogma, a pet supply store in Evergreen, encouraged Griffon’s parents to seek treatment at Colorado State University Animal Cancer Center.

With that connection, Griffon quickly underwent an amputation and began chemotherapy treatment. Though the chemo made him sick at times, he took to three legs like it was normal! In no time at all, he was back to his daily routine of doing a “perimeter check” around his family’s property.