OUR STORY
Well-known and respected dog agility trainer and competitor, Terry Simons, was devastated when his “heart and soul” dog Reveille, was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 2011. An educated dog owner, Terry did all he could for Reveille but soon discovered that even though lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in dogs, accurate information regarding options and treatment can be elusive. Terry connected with professionals that helped him choose the best path for his beloved companion. Reveille competed in dog agility throughout her treatment and in fact thrived, having the best agility year of her career. When Terry chose to let Reveille go, one year and a week after her diagnosis, he knew he was making the right decision for her. Grief can do strange things, it can destroy and it can inspire. In the case of Reveille, the realization that he may lose Reveille at any time inspired Terry to form CLEAR (Canine Lymphoma Education Awareness and Research), a 501(c)(3) cancer foundation dedicated to providing information, resources and research into the devastating disease. Reveille’s legacy is to ensure that dog owners know their options thereby being empowered advocates of their four-legged family members.
WHAT WE ARE DOING ABOUT IT
All our documentaries are produced with one thing in mind to create awareness of canine cancer, and to educate dog owners that there is a solution and an option for everyone. These documentaries are free… cancer education should not come with a price tag.
My Friend: Standing Strong is our latest documentary on canine bone cancer. The film is directed by the very talented Stacey M. Zipfel, who was also at the helm of My Friend: Changing the Journey and A Reason to Change. Working with Dr. Avenelle Turner of Veterinary Cancer Group and Pop Up Canine Cancer Talks with CLEAR, director Stacey brings together stories of hope and loss, bringing a raw emotion to what could be viewed as a powerful shock therapy session for animal lovers. |
What if your best friend was suddenly diagnosed with cancer? How would you react? What would you do? What are the best decisions to be made for this best friend of yours? Director Stacey helps to find these answers directly from the source, the people connected to this horrible disease.
The documentary has won many awards including Best Documentary Featurette at The Los Angeles Film Awards and Best Documentary Feature at The New York Film Awards and an Honorable Mention at the Festigious International Film Festival.
“Every veterinary school should have the opportunity to present this documentary to their students, to make them aware of how important their work is, and how careful they should be not only with dogs, but also with all the wonderful animals out there.” – The Monthly Film Festival
The documentary will be released on our website March 1, 2020.
A Reason To Change made a splash at film festivals and was released on our website 6/26/2017. A Reason To Change is a collaborative effort between director Stacey Zipfel and Terry Simons. ARTC is a hybrid combination of old school MTV music video with the power of a documentary on canine and children’s cancer. Director Stacey likes to call it a documentary dipped in a music video.
The film produced by Zippery Zoo Productions, which also produced My Friend: Standing Strong includes dog lovers and supporters, Chris Durkee of 4-Legged Flix as Director of Photography and DC Creative in Burbank who supplied editing. The video tells the story of a boy and a dog, both battling cancer, who ultimately help one another through comparative oncology. The video stars Terry Simons, Brie Strohmeyer, Caroline van der Wyk, Page Jackson, Trevor Okwaho Hayes, Dr. Avenelle Turner, and introduces Jay Patriarca as the Boy and Ripper as the Dog.
Feel the Reel International Film Festival has this to say about ARTC ‘A Reason to Change’ is a game-changer in this business and we totally should keep an eye on its future path.’
We hope you enjoy our video and that it brings a greater understanding that, as the lyrics say “Together we can change the world” and together we can beat cancer.
Our first documentary, My Friend: Changing the Journey is a groundbreaking, award-winning film about canine lymphoma. My Friend: Changing the Journey, will take dog lovers on their own informative journey of awareness and hope as it weaves interviews from highly respected oncologists, veterinarians and canine care professionals throughout three inspiring stories of dogs who are battling lymphoma and in some cases even beating the disease.
You can find My Friend: Changing the Journey on our website as well as in rotation on the FidoTV network. Contact them for viewing schedule. http://fidotvchannel.com
We finished and made available a veterinarian cancer brochure to educate pet owners of the danger signs of cancer and what preventative measures you can do to help keep your dog CLEAR of cancer.
CLEAR’S RIGHT ARM
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Stacey Zipfel is first and foremost an animal lover and animal advocate. However, her day job has been in the entertainment business for over 30 years. She is proud to have been a part of film and television projects for CBS, ABC, Warner Brothers, A&E, Lifetime, USA, and Travel Channel including A&E Biographies and as a producer for the acclaimed documentary on the history of Superman, LOOK UP IN THE SKY: THE AMAZING STORY OF SUPERMAN.
In 2006, Stacey’s career was sidelined by a health scare that resulted in emergency brain surgery. While recovering, she formed ZipperyZoo Productions to allow her greater creative control in the development of material designed to make a difference in the world, especially for animals. She eventually teamed up with Terry Simons and CLEAR (Canine Lymphoma Education Awareness and Research) to produce, write and direct the multi-award-winning documentaries, MY FRIEND: CHANGING THE JOURNEY, A REASON TO CHANGE and MY FRIEND: STANDING STRONG. Stacey has become an integral part of CLEAR, helping to create Pop Up Canine Cancer Talks, fundraising and assisting in the decision for CLEAR to expand its reach to educate owners on all forms of canine cancers. Stacey is currently in production on CLEAR’s latest documentary, MY FRIEND: RADICAL HOPE. In her downtime, she enjoys spending time with her family and her numerous critters (mostly rescues) and working with her heart dog, Loki. |
WHY WE ARE HERE
Increasing awareness of canine lymphoma is the foundation of what we do. Through education we empower dog owners and through research we search for a cure.
Our projects to date include a Public Service Announcement that stresses the importance of regular wellness screenings for your canine companion. These wellness screenings will keep you aware of your dog’s health and what you may or may not need to do to keep your dog at their fittest!
Our projects to date include a Public Service Announcement that stresses the importance of regular wellness screenings for your canine companion. These wellness screenings will keep you aware of your dog’s health and what you may or may not need to do to keep your dog at their fittest!