Rose Blume

Rose Blume’s bright eyes and sweet laugh make it hard to believe that in the past 15 years she has undergone 9 knee replacements, 7 of which have sadly failed. After her first failed replacement in Kansas, Rose was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, a condition that caused the replacements to loosen prematurely. In 2005, she and her husband relocated to Denver, where Rose’s care was taken over by orthopedic surgeons Dr. Ronald Hugate and Dr. Jeremey Kinder of the Colorado Limb Consultants, as well as Dr. Rajesh Bazaz of Western Orthopedics. In May 2015, Dr. Kinder took Rose back to the operating room to try a new component, one they are hopeful will stay in place. So far, Rose’s new knees are feeling great!

Though Rose knows the journey ahead is uncertain, she remains positive and hopeful with the support of her husband, Jim, her friends and family, and her faith. Rose has certainly experienced difficulties since her first surgery in 2001, but she believes that laughing is a far better option than crying! In her free time, she enjoys reading and water aerobics, which she has found is not only good for her knees, but also for a good laugh! She also enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and looks forward to being able to see them more often come retirement! We’re rooting for you, Rose!

Penny

Penny is a fun and spirited two-year-old Yellow Lab who was sadly diagnosed with osteosarcoma in March of 2015. When loving on Penny one day, her mother found a lump on her side. Although very unlikely because of her age, the bump on Penny’s rib turned out to be bone cancer. Penny was given a year to live, and her family decided they wanted to make it the best year possible. Penny underwent chemotherapy and radiation to shrink the tumor. Her parents decided against surgery because the removal of three of Penny’s ribs would make it very hard for her to run, her most favorite pastime. Penny enjoys playing outdoors, running as fast as she can, and spending time with her most favorite people.