Pet food back founder asking for help from others to 'save her life'
The 'beloved' founder and ambassador of a popular dog wellbeing and welfare group says she need the community to help save her life after a life of giving back.
Nicky Crowe, from Bournemouth, was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer in February 2025, despite living a health lifestyle and being a non-smoker her whole life, and only has a few years left to live without private treatment.
She added: 'It's strange to be in that role that I'm asking for support and health because I know how to do that for others.'
(Image: Sophie Bella Photography)
Treatment for Nicky's rare form of cancer is not available on the NHS and without it she only has a 10% chance of living beyond three years.
A fundraiser has been set up to help pay for Nicky's £80,000 cancer treatment which would raise her survival chances to between 50 to 70 per cent.
Nicky founded Dorset Dogs CIC, a non-profit organisation that aims to raise awareness of the importance of pets and dogs to the well-being of humans by services such as pet food banks, dog meetups and playdate, and has helped thousands of pet owners over the years.
She wanted to set up pet food banks to help 'desperate' owners feed their pets during the cost-of-living crisis and, thanks to her hard work, there are now 13 pet food banks located across Dorset and Hampshire, with a new potential location in Wareham as the fourteenth.
She is supported by her dog, Merlin, an eight-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: 'He's so comforting.
'He is also therapy for me and he makes me push through the hardest of symptoms of cancer and gets me out walking or caring for him which helps me to care for myself.'
The non-profit started with humble beginnings before expanding to 30,000 plus members it has today.
'My passion has always been dogs and helping dogs," said Nicky.
"They've helped me through my whole life. They are a constant presence, always there, loving. They don't judge you"
Nicky said she has to 'find a way to survive' for Merlin and to continue supporting with her non-profit work.
Along with her work with animals, Nicky is trying to change the stigma around cancer and emphasised that one of two people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime.
Lindsay Nightingale, Christchurch, a volunteer with Dorset Dogs: 'Without Nicky's constant, thankless work supporting food banks and getting volunteers there would be a lot more sadder stories in the press now about rescue centres getting full of animals.
'She's absolutely inspirational. She's helped so many people and now she's in desperate need of help.'
Nicky's fundraiser can be found here: https://dorsetdogs.com/
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