Insight/Report on Private Giving

Spring 2005

Flint Animal Cancer Center Creating Hope for Cures

Forty years ago, veterinarians had little to offer pet owners whose companion animals had been diagnosed with cancer. Limited research on cancer treatment was available and euthanasia usually was presented as the most compassionate and humane choice. Fortunately today, for animals and the people who love them, cancer is no longer a death sentence but a diagnosis of a specific disease with specific treatment options, many of which are effective at prolonging a quality life.

At Colorado State University, the Robert and Mary Flint Animal Cancer Center (ACC) is at the core of advancements in animal cancer diagnosis and treatment. Since the 1960s, scientists at the ACC have conducted innovative research and provided cutting edge treatment for companion animals. Research that began with identifying the types of cancers affecting pets eventually moved to methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment

It was to this center (then known as the Animal Tumor Center) that Robert and Mary Flint brought their two yellow Labrador retrievers, Anna and Eve, during a period of nine years. Impressed by the care their four-legged companions received, and aware of the financial restrictions the ACC faced in its determination to fight cancer, the Flints decided to invest in the Animal Cancer Center. Their $4 million gift went to the construction of the new Animal Cancer Center wing where today ground-breaking studies continue to advance the treatment of cancer in animals and their human companions.

A new study underway is exploring a novel method for delivering a unique drug therapy that may have huge benefits for patients, human and canine, diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer). Other ongoing studies include two new treatments being tested for soft tissue sarcomas, including a vaccine that inhibits the growth of new blood vessels in tumors, and a study of how hyperthermic treatment increases the effectiveness of radiation therapy.

The Flint gift also has been an integral part of generating additional investment in the Animal Cancer Center from other entities. Most recently, the Animal Cancer Center has proposed a new plan to increase and expand research, develop and apply new cancer treatments, as well as create new national and international research partnerships. Funds to support the effort will come from private donations and through application for matching funds from Colorado State University’s Academic Enrichment Program.

What the Flint family has helped to create at Colorado State University is a legacy that may one day lead to cures for the cancers that plague our animals today – cancers that, when combined, are the second leading cause of death in our companion animals. Though Robert and Mary Flint are now deceased, their love of animals and commitment to curing cancer live on today through the Flint Animal Cancer Center.