'YouTube dogs helped me through cancer treatment'

A Royal Air Force veteran hopes to raise enough money for a canine companion to help him through cancer treatment.

After being diagnosed with incurable mantle cell lymphoma, Mark Towle, from Peterborough, said a You Tube channel featuring therapy dogs brought some joy back into his life.

Ellie Golden Life, featuring two US-based therapy dogs, became a highlight for Mr Towle and his wife Jessica and planted the seed of an idea.

Mrs Towle arranged for the famous golden retrievers to surprise Mark. Upon their meeting she said all the fear, anxiety and tension he was holding onto "just melted away".

Now, the couple are hoping to raise money for Mr Towle to have his own dog.

Mr Towle was in the RAF for 17 years before taking voluntary redundancy and re-training as a plumber.

In 2012 he suffered a herniated disc which resulted in major spinal surgery but he returned to work within three months.

Five years later he was involved in a head-on collision which left him with post-traumatic stress disorder as well as destroying his power tools and equipment.

He rebuilt his business and returned to work in 2018, until the pandemic hit. Following that, he began rebuilding his business for the fourth time when he began experiencing "some strange physical symptoms".

Mr Towle was diagnosed with an aggressive and incurable cancer which led to months of radiotherapy and intense chemotherapy and he was forced to close down his business.

In February 2023 he was admitted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for a stem cell transplant.

During his time in hospital, Mrs Towle discovered Ellie Golden Life set up by Kevin and Katie Bubolz, of Washington DC.

Each morning, she sent Mr Towle a video of the dogs featured on the channel, Ellie and Emma, and it became a daily highlight during treatment.

"Without knowing it, these beautiful dogs played a huge part in Mark’s incredible recovery," she said.

During Summer 2023, Mr Towle found out he was in remission after a successful stem cell transplant and Mrs Towle contacted Mr and Mrs Bubolz to thank them for the work they do.

"Incidentally, they were planning a trip with Ellie and Emma and we arranged a surprise for Mark," Mrs Towle said.

"In that special moment, I saw first-hand the impact a dog would have on Mark.

"I noticed his whole body relax and let go. He felt calm, safe and no longer afraid of the uncertainty that comes with an incurable cancer diagnosis.

"That was the moment I knew I had to do all that I could to find Mark’s one-day-dog."

She hoped a canine companion could help Mr Towle improve his physical and psychological well-being following two-and-a-half years of treatment.

"We haven't called it a battle or a fight, we approach it with optimism and an upbeat mindset... and dark humour," she said.

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