Resilience, Bravery, and Love

SUCCESS STORIES: Hank and Nikita

Published March, 2024

By: Samantha Dascomb


We have all been seasoned from television and movies to hear that all success looks the same. The hero wins the race. Through struggle and adversity, the suffering overcomes all challenges and we have gleaming sunshine ahead. Think about the heroic victory after tremendous struggle of Rocky Balboa. But what happens the next day? or the next month? Maybe 5 years later?

Today, we offer a different kind of success story—not your made for TV movie, but rather, one measured in the bonds forged, the additional time spent together, and the comfort provided by our hero donors in difficult times. We honor the resilience, bravery, and love displayed by both animals and their human caregivers in the face of adversity. Not in the single moment of victory, but instead built over time.

The Story

The passing of a beloved pet is always a heart-wrenching experience for any family. In the case of Hank, a courageous and cherished canine, his journey was marked by both moments of hope and the harsh reality of illness. However, amidst the sorrow, there was comfort, in the form of Nikita, a heroic blood donor who selflessly gifted blood to save the lives of others.

Hank’s story began with the onset of illness that left his family devastated and scrambling for answers. After a visit to the veterinary hospital, it was determined that Hank required a blood transfusion and emergency surgery, a splenectomy, to have a fighting chance at survival. Thanks to the expertise of the medical team and the generous emergency donation of blood from Nikita, Hank underwent a successful procedure and was given a fighting chance at life.

Nikita’s involvement in Hank’s recovery was no accident. She had become a blood donor after her own canine sibling required a life-saving transfusion, prompting her family to enroll her in the North American Veterinary Blood Bank (NAVBB) donation program. Since then, Nikita has become an integral part of the program, providing much-needed blood to countless animals in need.

Hank’s family was incredibly grateful for Nikita’s contribution. With her help, they were able to spend precious time with their beloved pet, saying their goodbyes and cherishing every moment they had together. Nikita’s selflessness gave Hank’s family comfort and solace during a difficult time.

Sadly, the time the family gained with Hank was short lived. Hank succumbed to his illness within weeks of his surgery.

The passing of Hank serves as a reminder of the importance of blood donation in veterinary medicine. Without donors like Nikita, many animals would not have the chance to receive life-saving treatments when they need them most. Nikita’s family’s dedication to helping others, even in the face of her own need, is truly heroic and serves as an inspiration to us all.

As we mourn the loss of Hank, we also celebrate the legacy he leaves behind and the lives he touched during his time on earth. We also honor Nikita, the unsung hero whose generosity and compassion continue to make a difference in the lives of animals across the nation.

If you’d like to help canines in need of life-saving blood
by becoming a canine blood donor, register your pet today.

What you get…

  • Free monthly annual blood work.
  • Free dose of Simparica Trio for each monthly donation.
  • Free monthly wellness checks to ensure the health of the donor.
  • The opportunity to touch the lives of up to four canines and their families with each monthly donation!