Sierra 3rd-graders raise money to help teacher's dog

Debra Prather is no stranger to tears - her 7-year-old Golden Retriever, Jasmine, has been battling lymphoma for the past two years - but when the Kyrene de la Sierra Elementary School teacher's third-grade students reached out to help her, she could not help but get even more emotional.

"My kids have great character and to see them come in every day with little baggies and change - it is just amazing," Prather said.

Prather and her husband John estimate that they have spent about $7,000 on Jasmine's chemotherapy and acupuncture treatment since 2006, but even with pet insurance, the expense factor is tough to deal with, she said.

Some families spend tens of thousands of dollars to keep their beloved pets alive, and the number of them choosing to do so is increasing with the ever-evolving technological advancements in animal cancer treatments.

On May 5, the Arizona Republic published a front-page article about the Prathers and their medical journey to keep Jasmine alive.

"I shared it with my third-grade students, who always ask how Jasmine is feeling," Prather said. "I have one particular student, Jared Costello, who came in the very next day with a hand-written note to all of his classmates, and a pre-made donation bucket filled with all his change and allowance money."

Costello asked Prather if he could pass out his letter and keep the bucket in her classroom for all students to donate in order to help save Jasmine.

"You can only imagine my reaction to this selfless act of kindness - it brought tears to my eyes," Prather said. "I told him, ‘You know what honey, I don't want to take your money, but let's find an appropriate organization to donate to.'"

Prather's class decided to give the donations to the Veterinary Cancer Society, and have been bringing in money daily ever since.

"They are so proud when they place their money into the slot," Prather said. "It really shows what types of students I have the pleasure of working with and it really says a lot about their character - always wanting to do what they can for others, including their own teacher."

Currently, Jasmine is in her second remission and sees the oncologist every three weeks. Prather cherishes every moment with her dog, reminded of how lucky she is to have her, and how her students truly touched her heart through this experience.