Today we’d like to introduce you to Scout Edwards. Scout’s owner, Karen, shares their story with us below:
We moved our family to California almost 4 years ago from Cleveland, Ohio. A month ago, we took our daughter, Kate, on college tours in the area. She quickly fell in love with San Diego State University and University of California San Diego! She will be submitting applications to both schools this fall! We hope to spend more time in San Diego in the years ahead.
During the college visit, we brought our 2 labrador retrievers on the trip: Scout (a 9-year-old chocolate lab) and Piper (a 4-year-old yellow lab). When our daughter was in middle school, she challenged me that Scout couldn’t get 100 followers on Instagram. We started an account (@chocolate_lab_scout) to share his adventures… and he now has over 8,000 followers! We’ve made friendships around the world, through his Instagram account.
Our Instagram followers’ support has helped us tremendously. Scout has been battling a rare cancer, called MLO: multilobular osteochondrosarcoma, for the past year. He had surgery to remove the tumor, which is attached to his skull. Unfortunately, they couldn’t remove all of the cancer and it continues to grow. We’ve shared our journey on Instagram. His followers helped fund his scans and surgery, as well as post-operative care. Scout was not a candidate for chemo, based on the type and location of his cancer. We considered radiation, which would’ve cost between $15,000 to $20,000 for a few weeks of treatment. There was no treatment center within 3 hours of where we live. In addition, there was no guaranteed cure. Instead, we decided to help Scout live the best life, no matter how much time he has.
Scout loves going on adventures! He had the best time in San Diego. We did, too! In addition to the SDSU and UCSD campus tour highlights, we also had a chance to visit the USS Midway. My father-in-law, David, served on the Midway’s sister ship: the USS Oriskany! It was incredible for our daughter to see what life was like for her grandfather on an aircraft carrier. While my husband and daughter toured the ship, Scout, Piper, and I had a chance to enjoy sitting on a bench by Seward Johnson’s “Unconditional Surrender” sculpture. We watched as at least a dozen people tried to replicate the famous kiss.
Incredibly, Scout continues to beat the odds with his battle against cancer. Most recently, he started a new anti-inflammatory medication that seems to be reducing the swelling of the tumor on his head. Our goal is to give Scout the best life possible. In return, he’s inspired us to keep smiling and live each day to the fullest. (Scout is known for his dog smile!)
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We hope to bring more attention to canine cancer. The road is not smooth, even for those who have pet insurance! The cost of care is often thousands of dollars. When your pet is a family member, it’s heartbreaking to make decisions based on the cost of treatment. Thankfully, we had an Instagram friend start a Go Fund Me for Scout which covered the cost of his care. We’ll be forever thankful for the extra time they gave us with Scout!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about Scout and your work?
Scout has been a character from the moment we met him. At the breeder’s house, he fell off the step and knocked over a planter. Scout jumped up with dirt all over his head and it was love at first sight. He’s a special labrador. Most labs are happy dogs. Scout is no exception! He often looks like he’s smiling in his photos on Instagram.
As for work, I’m an administrator at Laurus College, which has a new location in Chula Vista!
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
San Diego is a beautiful city with lots of history. Despite its size, San Diego seems to have a small-town vibe and a strong sense of community. It’s hard to mention San Diego without mentioning the incredible weather! It’s also a very dog-friendly city! We used BringFido.com to learn about all of the dog-friendly places in town. There are 25 dog-friendly restaurants in Coronado alone! From beaches to hiking trails, there are dozens of local places to enjoy with your dogs.
What do we like least about San Diego? The fact that we didn’t visit sooner!
Contact Info:
- Email: kve1575@gmail.com
- Instagram: @chocolate_lab_scout
