Rappaport To The Rescue

On this edition of Rappaport to the Rescue, Emmy winner and teen sensation Sophie Grace from "The Baby-Sitters Club” talks about the emotional benefits of horses, and the incredible love she gets from her rescue dog! In this episode of "Rappaport to the Rescue" on Pet Life Radio, host Jill Rappaport kicks things off with an inspiring conversation with 17-year-old Emmy award-winning actor, Sophie Grace. They discuss Sophie's love for animals, her rescue dog Julep, and her passion for horseback riding. They also dive into her career in acting and her philanthropic efforts.

Plus, one of the leading animal oncologists in the world, Dr. Joyce Obradovich shares the latest and exciting breakthroughs to extend our angels lives! Jill is joined by the remarkable Dr. Joyce Obradovich, a veterinary oncologist, who shares valuable insights on the latest advancements in cancer treatment for pets. With heartfelt conversations and invaluable information, this episode is a must-listen for all pet lovers.

Listen to Episode #39 Now:

"They're just so healing and so beautiful, and you can build such a strong connection with such a big creature, and it just reminds you that you are on earth just to give out love and to receive it back." (The Healing Power of Horses)

— Sophie Grace

 

BIO:

Sophie Grace

2021 Emmy Award® Winner
“Outstanding Younger Performer in a Children’s Program”
Kristy Thomas on “The Baby-Sitters Club”

“As Kristy, Sophie Grace brings to mind Lindsay Lohan’s memorably perspicacious debut in ‘The Parent Trap’. She’s smart and spiky and has an easy command of the show’s bouncy dialogue.”   - Vanity Fair 

Sophie Grace stars as Kristy Thomas opposite Alicia Silverstone on the hit Netflix series “The Baby-Sitters Club,” based on the beloved books by author Ann M. Martin. For her work, Sophie was honored with an Emmy Award® for “Outstanding Younger Performer in a Children’s Program”. Along with Sophie’s individual win, the show was nominated for an additional six Emmys, including “Outstanding Preschool, Children’s or Family Viewing Program”.  The show premiered July 2020 to popular and critical acclaim. Following the 2nd and final season, in December 2022, Sophie had the honor of presenting at the Emmy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, where the series itself picked up 2 Emmy Awards.  

Sophie made her debut as “Kaitlyn” in the ripped-from-the-headlines Lifetime movie “Terror in the Woods” (2018).  Winning the coveted, demanding role at age 11, Sophie began exploring the complex character of Kaitlyn vigorously. The result is a layered and truthful performance that director DJ Viola calls a “rich performance.” 

Sophie hails from a high-energy, loving and close-knit family. And while her five siblings found their stride in sports, Sophie landed firmly on the stage at the tender age of three. Along with learning-by-doing in school and local plays, she also studied film/TV acting with a Hollywood acting coach. After two years of intense work, Donnellan felt Sophie was ready to audition. She was right. On her first professional audition, Sophie was cast in “Terror in the Woods”.

In early 2022 Sophie was selected by the Halo Foundation @haloempowersyouth to be their 1st ClubHALO Ambassador. ClubHALO is a volunteer program for kids and teens to put their compassion to action and work together to change the lives of homeless youth around the world. She recently hosted Halo's livestream "Defying The Odds" Art Auction After Party featuring musical performances by powerhouse female country music artists! 

Sophie adores her rescue dog, Julep! And, a horse lover since age 6, Sophie has joined the trailblazing Seen Through Horses Campaign by Horses For Mental Health (May 1-31st, 2023). She's sharing her stories about a special horse named Rocky, to help shine a light on the many healing powers horses and humans can have on one another. The campaign will raise awareness and support for 55+  nonprofits incorporating horses into their personal growth and mental health programs. 

The young actress was born in Philadelphia and lives with her family in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Instagram: RealSophieGrace

Causes:     Animal Rescue 

Interests:        Horseback riding, surfing, making jewelry, baking

 

Dr. Joyce Obradovich:

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
Dr. Obradovich earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from Michigan State University in
Microbiology and Public Health and subsequently worked as a research technician at Yale
University’s School of Medicine in pulmonary cancer research. This sparked her desire to return
to pursue a medical career, however with her long-time love of animals, she elected to pursue
veterinary medicine. At the onset of her veterinary training, her strong interest was in equine
medicine (having owned horses since age 13), but when her own dog, Buff, a golden retriever,
developed lymphoma while she was a junior veterinary student, her entire focus changed. This
personal experience, along with her past cancer research experience, ultimately led her to actively
pursue a residency training program in oncology. After graduation from MSU’s College of
Veterinary Medicine in 1985 (DVM degree) she spent 2 years in private practice, then returned to
MSU for a medical/surgical internship in 1987. From there, she was accepted into Colorado State
University’s prestigious oncology residency. While at CSU Dr. Obradovich won two national awards
through the Veterinary Cancer Society and the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
(ACVIM) for her research with “granulocyte colony stimulating factor” or G-CSF. G-CSF helps
alleviate or prevent serious side effects to chemotherapy in patients.

Since becoming board certified with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
in the subspecialty of oncology, Dr. Obradovich has been in private oncology practice in
southeastern Michigan. In July of 2000, she opened the Animal Cancer & Imaging Center (ACIC),
which was the culmination of her career long dream to run a free-standing veterinary cancer clinic.
Dr. Obradovich has served as adjunct faculty member of MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine,
where for 7 years she had lectured in veterinary oncology and sponsored a clinical rotation at ACIC
for senior veterinary students. Dr. Obradovich has numerous publications and book chapters to
her credit. Dr. Obradovich is extremely proud of the accomplishment of having trained residents
to become board certified with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine’s Oncology
subspecialty. She recently published an oncology textbook that she was commissioned to write.
Her patients remain her top priority and focus.

Transcript:

Announcer [00:00:00]:
Pet Life Radio.

Announcer [00:00:02]:
This is Pet Life Radio. Let's talk pets. Rappaport to the Rescue with award winning animal advocate Jill Rappaport.

Jill Rappaport [00:00:20]:
Hi, welcome to Rappaport To The Rescue. I'm Jill Rappaport and we are very excited about our show today, kicking off with a teenager that will truly blow your mind. Sophie Grace is a 17 year old Emmy award winning actor. She starred for two seasons on the smash Netflix show the Babysitters club. And she was just 15 when she won that Emmy award for outstanding younger performer in a children's program. She's given a TED talk. She's the first teen ambassador for the Halo foundation club. Now, Halo is a really cool organization that helps at risk and homeless youth around the world while inspiring kids through art and the connection.

Jill Rappaport [00:01:01]:
Here she has an adorable rescue dog named Julep, and she's also been so passionate about riding and her love for horses since she was six years old. And that brings us together for a very special campaign. We are both featured in the new seen through horses campaign, so we're already bonded through our intense love of animals. Sophie, it is so great to have you on Rapaport to the rescue.

Sophie Grace [00:01:27]:
Thank you.

Jill Rappaport [00:01:28]:
I'm looking at you with your baseball cap. Tell us what your baseball cap says.

Sophie Grace [00:01:32]:
It says, just a girl who loves horses. Because I'm just a girl who loves.

Jill Rappaport [00:01:35]:
Horses and all animals like me.

Sophie Grace [00:01:38]:
Yes, that's very true.

Jill Rappaport [00:01:40]:
And I know you have a rescue dog. Tell us about Julep. An adorable name, by the way.

Sophie Grace [00:01:44]:
Julep is like a little ball of energy. She is just the happiest, cutest dog you'll ever meet. She was a hunting dog that was dumped somewhere in Alabama after the hunting season was over, which is, it's just heartbreaking to think that someone could ever not want her because she is the light of my life, and she's just something that I wake up to in the morning, and it just puts a smile on my face. And she smiles, too, which is adorable.

Jill Rappaport [00:02:09]:
Tell me about your love of animals and when it began.

Sophie Grace [00:02:12]:
So when I was a kid, I remember watching Snow White, and it was my mom's favorite movie. And naturally, you think your mom is the coolest person ever when you're a little girl. And Snow White could literally go out into the woods and talk to animals. And I just thought I was like, that's what makes you a princess. That's the common theme in being a princess. And so I would go outside and I would hunt for snails and worms like any kid would. But it just grew to be so much more than that. Every time I met an animal, I would just feel this overwhelming compassion for it, as we do as humans.

Sophie Grace [00:02:44]:
It's like you are a life and you are valuable, and it's just finding love in such simple things like that just brings your life a lot more pleasure, and I think it makes a better quality of life. And there's something very healing about loving animals.

Jill Rappaport [00:03:01]:
Absolutely. They're the best therapy in the world. Although when some are a little loud. Hey, Oscar. Stop interrupting my podcast. Oscar's my vocal rescue. The other two are downstairs, mellow as can be. But not little Oscar.

Jill Rappaport [00:03:16]:
No. But it's really amazing because the love starts when you're born. Really?

Sophie Grace [00:03:19]:
It really does. I think everyone deep down, has a very big love for animals, but there are certain people in the world that it just grew bigger inside of them than the rest. And I think we are those people.

Jill Rappaport [00:03:31]:
Benjulep is your best friend. Tell me about your love of horses, which I believe began when you were six years old.

Sophie Grace [00:03:38]:
Yeah. My mom kind of raised me as kind of a city rat, but we lived in Pennsylvania, which is very bipolar. It's either city or farm. And my mom had all my siblings, and I try all the sports, and I just could not find something I liked, which is a lot of the reason why I got into acting. And I was good at things, but I didn't love it. So she put me in horseback riding on a whim because she just heard about it. And I do love animals, and I just absolutely fell in love with horses. They're just so healing and so beautiful, and you can build such a strong connection with such a big creature, and it just reminds you that you are on earth just to give out love and to receive it back.

Sophie Grace [00:04:21]:
It's just a good energy exchange, I guess.

Jill Rappaport [00:04:23]:
Absolutely.

Sophie Grace [00:04:24]:
But I am.

Jill Rappaport [00:04:25]:
Yeah.

Jill Rappaport [00:04:25]:
And I always say I wish my horses could live in the house. That's how much I love mine.

Sophie Grace [00:04:30]:
You know what? Having an in house horse would probably be my dream come true. I'm sure we could get some big doors.

Jill Rappaport [00:04:36]:
Exactly. Was there one horse in your life that truly left an indelible mark on you?

Sophie Grace [00:04:41]:
There was. He was a gray speckled horse. And I remember his mane was so shiny, it looked like silver tinsel. And I would take the classes all year, and I would take the summer camps, and I would enter myself into all these competitions, and every single time, it was always rocky in me, and I was going through a very hard time with some other things going on in my life. And it was a lot for such a young girl to deal with, and a lot of it did have some mental health effects on me. But when I would go riding, mind you, I was like six to ten in this time. Actually, six to 1112, it was just such an escape. It was such a distraction because it was so much joy flowing through my life, and I just really loved where I was.

Jill Rappaport [00:05:26]:
Wow. Rocky was certainly so important to you. Now, Sophie, you come from a huge family. You're one of six kids.

Sophie Grace [00:05:33]:
I am one of six kids. So it is a swarm to find your identity in all that personality and animals is a big part of that for me.

Jill Rappaport [00:05:42]:
Are you the only actor in the family?

Sophie Grace [00:05:43]:
I am. Everyone else is an athlete or a brainiac, and I am kind of a brainiac myself, but more so in the emotional study sense.

Jill Rappaport [00:05:53]:
Well, you started your career quite young. I mean, winning an Emmy at 15, how incredible is that?

Sophie Grace [00:06:00]:
It doesn't feel real. It never will.

Jill Rappaport [00:06:02]:
So coming off a hit show like that, the babysitters club, which was on Netflix, are you a little jaded for what you do next?

Sophie Grace [00:06:10]:
Well, it did make a lot of things really different, and there's two sides to every coin, but I would take that coin over any other coin, because I really do love the life that I was able to build for myself from that. And I know starting from such a young age, it might not seem like it would be a lot of work. It seems like it came so easy to me because it really did land in my lap, but it is a lot of work, and I'm not necessarily jaded, because I do have this undying hope within me for some reason. But I wanted to take some time to really grow up and to really get to be a kid. And I think I've gotten to do that very well, and I really just want to help people, and I've been able to do that with Halo. And now that I found this, I'm able to help animals, and I really feel like I'm contributing what I want to contribute.

Jill Rappaport [00:07:05]:
And when you talk about this, you're talking about this wonderful horse campaign.

Sophie Grace [00:07:08]:
Yes.

Jill Rappaport [00:07:09]:
That's kicking off today, may 1 called seen through horses that we're both involved in. Tell me about that and how you got involved.

Sophie Grace [00:07:18]:
Well, this beautiful, wonderful woman named Chantel that my mother and I met in a coffee shop has absolutely changed my life, absolutely brought me to everything I really wanted to do with my title as an know. It gives you a sense of a platform, especially on social media, and I want to be able to share that when you're a kid, you can do big things. And this program in specific, this horse campaign, is a way to help push the idea that horses do help mental health. And you can seek out so much therapy and so much healing through horses. And there are so many campaigns and nonprofits and charities that all revolve around horses. And I think it's a really cool thing to spread the word about.

Jill Rappaport [00:08:05]:
And not only that, I mean, I was so honored to be featured. And in full disclosure, that woman that you're singing the praises of, chantelle Klinger, I have a very special relationship with her because the time I got to be on Oprah, Chantel was my producer. We go back those years, and that was to me, the most amazing experience in my career, to be sitting next to Oprah and do an animal rescue. And Chateau was my producer. She did the most amazing job, and she came to me with this campaign and actually was singing your praises. And I thought, I got to get that girl on my podcast. Looking at you, knowing what you've already accomplished in your 17 young years, what is it that you would also like to do? We know how philanthropic you obviously are. We know your love of rescued animals and all animals.

Jill Rappaport [00:08:54]:
What about your career? What are your goals?

Sophie Grace [00:08:56]:
Well, I've always been very independent, and I think that there's a lot I want to do. I have a very eclectic way about me, but acting and just the film world has always drawn me to it, whether it's directing, writing, producing, anything to do with it, because it's such a way to tell a beautiful story in so many different ways. And you could take the same script and make a million different movies out of it just through perspective. And I think there's something so special and so human about that.

Jill Rappaport [00:09:30]:
Do you have any exciting projects on the horizon you can tell us about?

Sophie Grace [00:09:36]:
Nothing that I can really talk about. Nothing coming very soon in the works.

Jill Rappaport [00:09:41]:
You still want to pursue acting, right?

Sophie Grace [00:09:44]:
Yes, I do still want to be an actor. That's just been my dream since I was a little girl. I guess I am still a little girl full of dreams, but you know what I mean.

Jill Rappaport [00:09:53]:
Yeah, but once you've achieved the level of success at such a young age, I mean, how has your life changed?

Sophie Grace [00:09:59]:
Well, I did grow up very fast because I had a very adult job at eleven years old, and you're kind of, I'm not saying that it was bad in any sense. I'm not going to complain about it because it was life changing and a dream come true, but it does age you. And it does mature you in a way that other kids didn't necessarily ever get to live. So it gives you a feeling of just being a little bit off, a little different. And I think that's why I'm so passionate about animals is because that's just universal, and it's just pure love, and there is no judgment of. Oh, that's the girl that was on Netflix. Right?

Jill Rappaport [00:10:42]:
Right. Because I'm sure when you walk down the halls in high, know, people think.

Sophie Grace [00:10:46]:
These crazy things of me. They really do.

Jill Rappaport [00:10:49]:
You experience kind of, like a mean girl thing. Know, classmates were jealous, or were they sucking up to you because you're Sophie Grace?

Sophie Grace [00:10:59]:
I think I experienced a very deluded version of both of those, but never in a way that I really was able to let affect me, not in an egotistical way, but in an emotionally intelligent way to where I know we're all human beings. This is all our first time consciously living, and we all do things, and we all don't do things, and that's okay. And everyone has a different passion and a different path, and if everyone thought the same way and thought the same things were cool, then nothing would be cool anymore. And I like what I like, and that's okay.

Jill Rappaport [00:11:35]:
How about your five siblings? How did they treat you in terms of once you achieved all the success in your career? Was it a little different around the house?

Sophie Grace [00:11:43]:
Yeah, actually, I do still have to make my bed, and I do still have to go out into the backyard with little trash bags in my hands to clean up the dog residue. However, it was a little different, and I think it was really cool because my little brothers kind of thought I was cool for something, and I can't throw a curveball or do anything else that they like to do, so it was cool for that, and it's always great to get that. That was cool of you from your older siblings, because you want to be just like them. So I think when you accomplish something and the people that, because my whole family very successful, all my siblings were prodigies, so it was a lot to live up to. Even my younger siblings were accomplishing things, and I was like, hold up, I'm ten. I kind of overshot it a little bit, but I think it landed pretty well.

Jill Rappaport [00:12:33]:
I think you've done very well, and it was a pleasure being able to meet you and talk with you. Continued success, and please continue on your mission of the heart, which is helping animals in need.

Sophie Grace [00:12:44]:
Thank you so much. It's a pleasure to meet you, and thank you for having me on your amazing show.

Jill Rappaport [00:12:50]:
Well, we're thrilled to have you. And when we come back, we have another amazing guest. I have to say that this woman is probably one of the most special veterinarians that I have ever met. She has truly not only saved countless lives, but she is a therapist and a best friend to all of the pet parents who have to go through very sad and scary things with their pets. This woman is one in a million. Dr. Joyce Obradovich. When we come back.

Announcer [00:13:24]:
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Announcer [00:14:01]:
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Announcer [00:14:26]:
Let's talk pets

Announcer [00:14:29]:
Let's Talk Pets on Pet Life Radio

Jill Rappaport [00:14:45]:
I'm Jill Rappaport, and my next guest is truly an angel. I can tell you firsthand, I have never met a person like this who happens to be a vet. And for years, I have been having a wonderful relationship with Dr. Joyce Obradovich, the president and veterinary oncologist at Animal cancer and Imaging center in Canton, Michigan. Joyce, I am so happy to have you here. I said in my intro before we went to a commercial break, I've never met a vet like you. You put compassionate, you put the b in the best bedside manner. And when our animals are sick, we need someone like you more than ever.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:15:27]:
Oh, well, thank you so much. That's very sweet of you to say.

Jill Rappaport [00:15:30]:
Well, you're truly amazing, and I wanted to have you on the show for so long. This is a show. Oh, there goes Oscar again. He's a big fan, too, because you helped save him. I wanted to talk about what is going on with the latest cures. So many of us, sadly, have experienced our animals going through cancer and sadly losing our animals due to this dreaded disease. And this is what you see day in and day out, and people will bring their pets from all over the world to see you. And if there's any hope, you're the answer.

Jill Rappaport [00:16:03]:
Are we making any breakthroughs? Any good news, Joyce, that we can look forward to for our furniture?

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:16:08]:
Absolutely. When I look back over the last 30 years that I've been doing this, we've made great strides since then. And I think it's always shocking to people, every client that I see, they're surprised that pets get cancer, which always amazes me. And what they don't realize is that dogs get cancer at the rate, at least the same, if not close to double that of people. So as a dog, you are just as likely, if not more likely, than a person, to develop cancer in your lifetime. And they've looked at different statistics. There's all kinds of studies out there. But we do know that one in four pets will die of cancer.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:16:47]:
That's a huge number when you consider the population. And 50% of dogs, over ten will die of cancer or gets cancer at some point in their lifetime. And I think people automatically equate it with a death sentence. Cancer equals death, and that's just not the case. Probably over half of what we see can be cured. And in other cases, patients can have good quality of life, extension of life. And I think that there's so much that's changing now because people are recognizing this more. They're seeking treatment for the pets.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:17:19]:
And so that's where the positive advancements are being made. It's just an increase in awareness. But relative to many of the very aggressive cancers, we may not have made great strides, but we are moving in the right direction. Just because we're treating more, becoming more successful. And there's newer therapies that are being used right now that I think have great promise. Just about everything that we can do for people, we can do for our pets.

Jill Rappaport [00:17:46]:
That is such great news. What are the cancers? If there are more than one? And I'm hoping that you're seeing greatest improvement.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:17:52]:
I would have to say that there's improvement across the board with different cancers, because we're looking at therapies now that are called targeted therapies. So rather than traditional chemotherapy, which is toxic to the dna of the cell and kills it that way. We're looking at ways to change what they call the tumor microenvironment. And so to do that, we use medications that target certain receptors, for example, certain growth factors in tumors that you can turn off some of the growth with using these newer targeted therapies. It's more commonly known as precision therapy. So, for example, we do dna analysis of a patient's particular tumor. So you can look to determine, are there specific mutations or changes in that patient for which there could be a targeted therapy? And so I think this is really moving towards the future. We're doing a lot of this.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:18:49]:
There is a company, actually called phytocura that we work with extensively, whose main purpose is to identify these more precision therapies. They tend to be more personal to the pet's cancer. They also tend to, surprisingly, have lower toxicity levels. So I think that's one of the big areas that we're making know.

Jill Rappaport [00:19:09]:
You're hearing, if you're not experiencing it yourself with pets, you're hearing about the percentages of cancer. Is it the environment? Joyce, what is going on here?

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:19:17]:
That's a billion dollar question. I think it has to play a role, but I think it's multiple things. I think it's a combination.

Jill Rappaport [00:19:23]:
Food we feed.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:19:25]:
Yes, probably a lot. The food we feed, the environment that we walk our dogs in. You think about what's the reason dogs get so much cancer? It can be partially genetic, partially environmental. Some trigger is getting turned on that we don't even understand fully. We've looked at different types of tumors, for example, bladder tumors in scottish terriers, where they've shown certain lawn chemicals to increase the incidence. So I think it's a combination of environment and genetics as well.

Jill Rappaport [00:19:52]:
And what about these designer dogs, all of a sudden, the influx of doodles?

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:19:57]:
Well, it's scary to me, and because I don't want to overspeak it, because you get impressions of things, and they may not statistically be significant, but we do see, what I'm seeing in my practice is some of the designer breeds, which are wonderful combinations of great personality traits that they combine in dogs, and they're beautiful dogs. It's just that we're seeing cancer in them at a younger age. And this could, again, I can't statistically prove it. It's what I tend to see, and it makes me nervous. It's not all of them, but certain ones are. They just seem like we're seeing cancers at a younger age. So whether or not that will prove to be true, we have to wait and see.

Jill Rappaport [00:20:33]:
Wow, that's scary, because everybody's into the doodles, and everybody's trying to find one in rescue, and they're scarce, although now more because we have an influx of animals back in the shelter system, and you really can find anything. But years ago, you always heard about the high rate of cancer. And golden retrievers and boxers, dachshunds, was supposed to be low. They have their back issues. But can we at least feel better about prognosis?

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:21:00]:
Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, it's very simple, actually. When you think, just like in people, if you diagnose a tumor earlier on, you're going to have a better success rate, no matter how aggressive the tumors are. And people are much more in tune to the fact that, number one, pets get cancer, and, number two, that they can actually seek treatment, especially in earlier phases, and really help them. So earlier detection, aggressive treatment early on. And I don't mean aggressive against a patient. I mean aggressive against the tumor, because our primary goal with all of this is to maintain a normal quality of life for them.

Jill Rappaport [00:21:35]:
I know. And that is your number one thing, because my listeners should just understand that. I have gone to you, Joyce. If you could look at my roster, my length of text messages to you going back, see Oscar's chiming in. He's saying, yes, help me too. But I first met Joyce when I reached out to you for my sister's cat that had leukemia. And then, sadly, after I had a dog with a very aggressive form of cancer, and you helped me tremendously, you actually extended Petey's life by six months. And then even with Oscar Meyer, he had a little growth on his foot, and it was in the height of COVID And this woman is so unbelievable.

Jill Rappaport [00:22:14]:
You actually sent me slides where I just had to press very lightly on his little back pad and get a little sample of fluid, and then I sent it to you. And you were able to tell me, based on that slide, that you thought it was okay, and that was three years ago.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:22:32]:
Yeah.

Jill Rappaport [00:22:33]:
Amazing. You are. You put my mind at ease because you couldn't even get into a vet then. And if you did, you were waiting in the car, and Oscar, as you know, cannot go into a know. We had an emergency, but he hadn't been in a car in eight years. So that's what you've done for me. And you see cancer day in and day out. You see people looking at you, hoping and putting everything in your hands.

Jill Rappaport [00:22:56]:
What is that pressure like for you?

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:22:58]:
Well, it's terrible. And it's wonderful at the same time. So it's a very stressful specialty to be in. But there's so much good that we do. People say, how can you do this? There's so much sadness. But yes, there are times that I have to tell an owner that there's nothing that I can do. And so we focus on quality of life issues, and just that aspect of it makes them feel more comforted that they're doing everything that we can. But as far as the joys that come along with this, we see patients that come into us for a variety of reasons.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:23:31]:
And every owner is different in their desires and expectations. Everybody wants to cure everything, and we know we can't do it, but we'll have the client that has a beautiful dog that they were told at their primary care veterinarian is cancer. There's not a lot we can do but go see the oncologist, just to see. Then that patient comes in really depressed, really sad, thinking that they're going to lose their dog. And I look at it and see, well, wait a second, this is a tumor that has a median survival of over three years with fairly minimal treatment. So there's always things that we can do to support them. And those are the happy cases because we're helping them. Yeah, we live for that.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:24:10]:
And so that reward probably shadows a lot of the sadness, too. But then for some people, we'll have example. An elderly man came in a couple of weeks ago, and the patient had a poor prognosis, but this was his wife's dog, who had just, the wife had just died, and he wanted to do everything he could for that pet. And so we were able to extend his life by, our hopes are extending his life by maybe four to six months. Now, some people would look at it and say, well, I'm not going to go through all that for just four to six months. But that meant everything to that man. So everybody has different goals and requirements for what we can achieve for them.

Jill Rappaport [00:24:47]:
Again, you go above and beyond, because this is not an inexpensive process. When an animal is diagnosed and how many people have insurance and how many insurance companies cover these procedures? So when you're dealing with the cost of treating an animal for cancer, it is daunting.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:25:05]:
It is daunting. And people don't realize that the majority of drugs that we use and treatments we use are basically from human medicine. So we know that it's not cheap for people. Well, we're using the same manufacturers, the same drugs, and the same cost, and it can be daunting. And I would have to say that probably sadly, less than 5% of the pets in my practice have any kind of health insurance. What tends to happen is they come to us. They're faced with these daunting expenses. So their next pet that they get, they make sure they have insurance, but the ones that we deal with, it's actually very uncommon for them, and I wish they would do more of that.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:25:41]:
But we don't see that high of a percentage until something like this happens. Then their next pet, they'll go and make sure that they're covered.

Jill Rappaport [00:25:49]:
And you have done amazing things for these people because you have made allowances financially for so many of your patients.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:25:56]:
I have. I know. I mean, my focus in getting into this from the very beginning was never about becoming rich, and you won't do that being a veterinary oncologist, people think, oh, you make so much money because these costs are so high. Trust me, the cost of doing what we do is extremely high, and the profit margin is very low. But at the same time, newer drugs that are being developed for veterinary patients, sadly, they're not that much cheaper either. So we don't really have good price breaks for a lot of this. And we've tried through the years. I try to make my pricing as affordable as I possibly can, within reason for clients.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:26:37]:
We have a foundation in our practice that we try to help people that can't afford it, so we do everything we can, but unfortunately, there's a limit to what we can do based on the expense of some of these treatments.

Jill Rappaport [00:26:47]:
But I know you have sacrificed a lot.

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:26:50]:
I don't think my accountant likes me very much for that.

Jill Rappaport [00:26:54]:
Well, Joyce, you are truly, as I said from the very beginning, amazing. Is there one thing we can look forward to that you're the most excited about?

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:27:03]:
Well, I would have to say the most excitement is being able to get our message out. I know it sounds very trite, but if your veterinarian doesn't give you a lot of hope when they see a diagnosis of cancer, at least ask for a referral. It doesn't hurt to talk to a specialist to get an opinion about what's going on, and maybe there truly isn't anything we can do. But we have so many of these patients that are grateful that they've come at least talk with us, and had lymphoma dogs, for example, that live many years beyond what the expectations are. So I would say early detection, seek the information and knowledge, know as best as they can for their pet, be a good advocate like you are, Jill.

Jill Rappaport [00:27:42]:
And thank you again for being the amazing vet that you are. And Oscar's chiming in because he totally agrees. Very informative, really. We really appreciate it and it gives us hope. And it's all about. Right, Joyce?

Dr. Joyce Obradovich [00:27:56]:
Exactly. Thanks so much for having me.

Jill Rappaport [00:27:59]:
You are so welcome. And what an informative and important edition of Rappaport To The Rescue.

Announcer [00:28:05]:
Let's talk pets every week on demand, only on petliferadio.com.

Timestamped overview:

00:00 Childhood movie inspired compassion for animals.
06:10 Embracing challenges, finding purpose, and helping others.
08:05 Celebrity praises producer and discusses future plans.
11:43 Completing chores, being admired by siblings.
16:08 Pets' cancer rate equals or exceeds humans.
17:52 Improvement in cancer treatments with targeted therapies.
23:31 Owners have different desires; can offer support.
27:03 Seek information early, be a good advocate.
27:42 Grateful for amazing vet, gives hope. Oscar agrees.

Key topics and bullets:

Primary Topic: Introduction of Sophie Grace
- Sophie Grace's background as a 17-year-old Emmy award-winning actor
- Her involvement with the Halo Foundation, her rescue dog Julep, and love for horses
- Her experience with animals and how it has influenced her life and career
Primary Topic: Sophie Grace's Love for Animals
- Her admiration for animals ignited by watching Snow White
- Her special bond with her rescue dog Julep and her passion for horses
- The therapeutic and healing aspect of loving animals
Primary Topic: Sophie Grace's Life and Career
- The impact of winning an Emmy at a young age
- Her experiences working on Netflix's show "The Babysitters Club"
- Her career aspirations in the film industry and her philanthropic efforts
- Involvement in the "Seen Through Horses" campaign
Primary Topic: Dr. Joyce Obradovich's Interview
- The prevalence of cancer in pets and the advancements in treatment
- The impact of environment and genetics on pet cancer
- The emergence of targeted therapies and precision medicine for pets
- The importance of early detection and seeking specialist opinions
- Financial considerations and assistance for pet cancer treatment
Primary Topic: Concluding Remarks
- Jill Rappaport expressing appreciation for Dr. Joyce Obradovich's work
- Acknowledgement of the informative and hopeful content of the episode

"Rappaport to the Rescue" Theme Song Written & Produced by Mark Winter
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