Toni Phillips is on the road to recovery.
Toni, founder of
Mariah’s Promise Sanctuary, was recently diagnosed with a serious health issue and is still in the hospital recovering from surgery. The good news is that her surgery was deemed a success! So many of us in our Colorado community have heard about and even worked with Toni, and this is a good time to keep her and her Sanctuary in our minds and prayers.
Toni Phillips and her husband Mike founded
Mariah’s Promise , and are committed to a true “no kill” policy regarding their rescued dogs. Their sanctuary sits on over 40 acres and is located near Divide, CO.
Providing a home for unwanted and even deemed ‘illegal’ dogs has become Toni’s way of life. The number of lives she has touched are countless. Howard Margolius provided a
heartfelt testimony describing how Toni’s tireless efforts benefited his best friend, Cyan, a pit bull almost caught in the turmoil of Denver’s breed ban laws.
Prayers, good wishes, and kind notes will all help during this trying and exhausting time. Lisa Ransdell, a Denver Municipal Shelter Volunteer, offers a simple plea for prayer. She said in an email last week, “Toni Phillips is one of my heroes, and is so for many, due to her unwavering love of animals and her stalwart resistance to the unjust persecution of the PitBull breeds. By this point Toni has saved hundreds, if not thousands of animals (and not just Pit Bulls), through her sanctuary in Divide, CO -- Mariah’s Promise. Now she is facing a serious health crisis, including major surgery tomorrow, and a long road to regaining her health. Whatever your belief system, even if you lack one, please join me in a daily prayer vigil for Toni, her husband Mike, and their dogs. Research has demonstrated that intercessory prayer is a powerful tool for healing and peace, whether done in the traditional form of prayer, as directed affirmations, as healing visualizations, or as projected positive thoughts. Please pray for Toni each day at 8 p.m. Mountain Time on an ongoing basis, even if only for a few minutes. The conjoined force of the collective good intentions of those of us who care for her and are grateful for her commitment will exert a powerful force. We will keep you informed regarding her progress, but consider making this small commitment to someone who has committed SO much to the welfare of animals. "
Cards and flowers can be sent to:
St. Joseph's Hospital
1835 Franklin Street, Room 359
Denver, CO 80218
(303) 837-7111
If you are in a position to help financially,
Mariah’s Promise Sanctuary offers several ways to support their efforts. If you have been tracking Toni’s good works for some time now, and just haven’t gotten around to donating, this would be a great time.
We are all wishing a speedy recovery and all the best for Toni, her husband, and all the souls whose lives they touch!
By Rita Sharma, Best Friends Network Volunteer News Writer, and contributors via email and phonePhoto of Toni and Cyan, taken by Molly Wald