Bessie, a 2 year old Chihuahua mix, was unable to walk on her own and after a few tests by the Neurology team at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, they found a rare tumor on her spinal cord, a nephroblastoma.

With Compassionate Care funds, Bessie was able to have the tumor removed and is walking again.

Photo by Madison Brown for Virginia Tech.

Yes, before you ask, Ben Affleck, the cat, once had a feline housemate named Matt Damon.

Ben’s recent travails, and his successful treatment at Virginia Tech’s Animal Cancer Care and Research Center in Roanoke for an aggressive throat cancer that nearly shut off his breathing, might be worthy of a movie script from his namesake actor and filmmaker.

It started at the end of March, when Ben stopped eating and his breathing turned labored.

Daniel Muehlman, Ben’s owner, took his 14-year-old yellow short-haired cat to an emergency veterinary…