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Maui Weekly Newspaper Feature
January 10, 2009
Maui Weekly featured Dr. Dressler and Functional Nutriments in its first edition of 2009. The article is reprinted below, or you can read it online at the Maui Weekly website.
Maui Vet Works to Cure Canine Cancer
By Jill Burrow
Dr. Demian Dressler grew up on Maui. Because his family loved animals and they lived in a remote part of the island, Demian spent his childhood surrounded by chickens goats and guinea pigs, ponies, chinchillas and peacocks. But, he said, “My dogs were the chosen ones. Or, they chose me. Each one was a gift and friend as we spent our days trudging through the Maui wilderness.”
It isn’t surprising that Dressler realized he wanted to become “a doctor for animals” at the tender age of six.
Graduating in the top quarter of his class at Cornell University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Dressler began his career in New York and then returned to the islands to practice on O‘ahu. In 2003, he came home to Maui to open his own veterinary hospital. After six years, his client list continues to expand, and Dressler, along with his associate Dr. Kim Thomson-Kerr, care for an endless variety of Maui’s furry family members.
Dressler’s special interest in dogs led him to question why he continued to see increasing numbers of dogs with cancerous tumors. Cancer continues to be the No. 1 cause of death in dogs; one in three will contract the disease. And, in some breeds (such as golden retrievers), 75 percent die from the disease.
It appears that there are more incidences of cancer in dogs today than a decade ago. There are so many, in fact, there exists a prevalent belief that all older dogs will suffer from some form of cancer.
After years of observing dogs with similar conditions, Dressler began to realize the limitations of today’s treatment options. Moreover, chemotherapy, radiation and surgery can be costly and often do little to increase life expectancy. These treatments usually added only a few months to the dog’s lifespan.
Always “thinking outside of the box,” Dressler is convinced that cancer in dogs and humans can be eradicated by pursuing what he calls a “full-spectrum treatment approach.” This approach can be explained as the combination of conventional treatment methods with alternative medicine that stresses deficiency correction, nutrition and lifestyle issues.
“The key is investigation and avoiding attachment to certain viewpoints,” said Dressler. “Only in this way can we create new ideas and evolve at a decent pace.”
Dr. Dressler’s intense studies and focused scientific research coupled with the belief that cures and non-toxic remissions exist as real possibilities has led to the formulation of an all-natural plant derived supplement, which has been shown to reduce tumor growth in cancer patients. In addition, preliminary cases have shown non-toxic relief from orthopedic issues such as hip dysplasia, stiffness, back pain and arthritis. (For more information on the supplement and the trials, go to www.functionalnutriments.com.)
South Shore Veterinary Hospital is currently seeking dogs that have been diagnosed with cancer for ongoing clinical trials using Dressler’s food supplement. The hospital will offer free cancer treatment for dogs on Maui that qualify for the study. Pet owners who would like their dogs to be included in these trials are asked to phone the hospital at 874-3422 for complete information.
Results from these trials will be included in Dr. Dressler’s upcoming book, The Dog Cancer Survival Guide, Beyond Surgery, Chemotherapy and Radiation. This definitive publication on dog cancer is currently being edited and will be released early this year.
For owners who feel overwhelmed by their dog’s diagnosis, and those who need information and guidance with first stage cancer care, Dr. Dressler offers The Dog Cancer Coping Guide. (To purchase and download this guide, go to either www.dogcancercopingguide.com or www.dogcancervet.com.) Dr. Dressler’s blog can be accessed at www.dogcancerblog.com. The blog features up-to-date and hard-to-find news associated with this disease.
South Shore Veterinary clinic offers full-service medicine and surgery. The office is located in the Azeka I Shopping Center near the Kihei Post Office. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For appointments or further information, call 874-3422.
Testimonials from clinical trial patients
January 10, 2009
We are starting to collect testimonials from dog lovers who have enrolled their dogs in clinical trials of our supplement. The first video testimonial is below.
It is unedited raw footage of the owner of a Labrador Retriever who was in the study to test safety as well as efficacy of the supplement as an anti-inflammatory.
Functional Nutriments Presentation in Wailea December 11, 2008
December 5, 2008
Demian Dressler and James Jacobson will be presenting information about Functional Nutriments and what we are doing to combat canine cancer at a special event to be held on December 11, 2008 in Wailea, Maui, Hawaii.
It will be held at the Maui Four Seasons. We will present what we’re doing, how we are doing it, and the results we are getting.
* James Jacobson will provide an overview of the company. This is based on the presentation that recently won first place in the 2008 Hawaii Entrepreneur Investor Pitch Competition.
* Dr. Demian Dressler will present the scientific basis for the discoveries we are working on and share the latest results from our clinical trials.
For more details and to register for the event, please visit go to http://functionalnutriments.com/info1.
Seating is limited and registration is required.
Functional Nutriments Wins the 2008 Hawaii Entrepreneur Investor Pitch Competition
November 20, 2008
The text of our first news release issued today.
DOG CANCER SUPPLEMENT COMPANY WINS
2008 HAWAII ENTREPRENEUR INVESTOR PITCH COMPETITION
HONOLULU, NOVEMBER 20, 2008: James Jacobson of Maui-based Functional Nutriments, LLC was the first place winner of the 2008 Hawaii Entrepreneur Investor Pitch Competition which was held on November 19 in Honolulu at the Plaza Club.
Sponsored by Enterprise Honolulu, HiBEAM, and the High Technology Development Corporation, the three-judge panel consisting of seasoned venture capitalists awarded Jacobson a $2,000 prize.
Functional Nutriments, a Maui-based nutriceutical company is addressing the growing problem of canine cancer with an all- natural nutritional supplement that is currently in clinical trials.
Cancer is the leading killer of dogs in Hawaii and throughout the United States. One in three dogs will get cancer. In some popular breeds such as golden retrievers, 75% of those dogs will die of cancer.
Mark Ritchie, of Enterprise Honolulu said, “It was great that Functional Nutriments, a company doing leading edge cancer research here in Hawaii, was able to benefit from participating in the Hawaii Entrepreneur Investor Pitch Competition.”
“Jacobson’s pitch was compelling to the audience and judges because of the impressive science as well as the heart-string appeal of helping dogs with cancer,” said Rachael Ogdie, executive director of HiBEAM, one of the organizers of the contest.
Jacobson and Dr. Demian Dressler, DVM are co-founders of Functional Nutriments. The clinical trails are currently being conducted on dogs with cancer at Dr. Dressler’s South Shore Veterinary Hospital in Kihei, Hawaii.
