David MacNeil is the founder of the WeatherTech, a car accessories company and he took out a $6 million Super Bowl ad to say thank you to the veterinarians who helped save his pet- a golden retriever Scout who had an aggressive form of cancer.
MacNeil was informed that Scout had only a month left to live after they found a tumor on his heart.
The dog was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer of the blood vessel cells or hemangiosarcoma.
MacNeil Didn’t Want to Put His Beloved Dog Down
MacNeil recalls seeing Scout standing in the corner and wagging his tail at him- this is when he knew he wasn’t putting him down.
Unfortunately, he had lost three other dogs because of cancer previously and knew he had to do something to help Scout.
He took him to the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine to undergo the necessary therapy. Scout who was given a 1 percent chance of survival underwent an aggressive set of chemo and radiation.
In one month, his tumor dropped 78 percent and the size was 90 percent smaller by September. Now, his tumor is almost gone.
David Vail, professor of comparative oncology at the institution noted that Scout was the ideal patient and that he tolerated several therapies very well.
They’ve been capable of keeping the dog’s quality of life at a high level.
Beyond Grateful for Helping His Dog
In order to express his gratefulness, MacNeil decided to take out a 30-second Super Bowl ad and show the work that the veterinary school does, as well as their cancer research efforts.
The ad costs $6 million and MacNeil himself narrates it. It also presents the cancer survival story of his dog and motivates viewers to donate for the school’s research.
Scout also appeared in the Super Bowl 2019 commercial by WeatherTech as the mascot of the company. This is the first time this school was featured in a Super Bowl commercial.
The dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine, Mark Markel said that this is a wonderful chance not just for this veterinary school, but for veterinary medicine globally.
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