Know it. Fight it. End it.

Jeanenne Thompson grew up surrounded by animals, especially dogs.  She turned that love into a successful career as a professional dog handler, guiding nine Dobermans to the Top Twenty.  Her own dog, Maggie, was in the Top Twenty as well.

On June 15, 2004, Jeanenne was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and began the fight of her life!  She had always been inspired by Lance Armstrong and was particularly so now.  Her goal was to show Lexi (pictured on our home page and below) at the Doberman National in October, 2004 and she did… and to her amazement she went Best of Breed over 144 Specials.  It was the highlight of her life and her career.

We thought Jeanenne might be one of the 3 percent who survive pancreatic cancer, but she lost that battle on February 15, 2005.  A light dimmed in the Doberman world as it did in her friends’ and family’s worlds… a greatly respected and admired woman was lost.

To honor Jeanenne’s life and her valiant fight against this disease, her family and friends vowed to do something to raise money for more research.

And so, on June 3, 2006 in Nashville, Illinois (where Jeanenne lived for twenty years and first got into Dobermans), our first annual 3.1-mile fundraising walk was held to raise money for pancreatic cancer research.

Since dogs were Jeanenne’s life, she would want everyone to bring their beloved “four-legged babies” to walk as well.  This wasn’t a race or a timed event, but rather an opportunity for walkers and their dogs to enjoy a great day in aid of an important cause.