Inspiring dog Flynn has been through it all, from living on the streets to being paralysed and losing half of her face to an aggressive cancer.
Owner, Stephanie Ivankovich, 31, from Colorado, US, helped her recover each and every time, and even slept on the floor by her side for three months.
Then when Stephanie was diagnosed with endometriosis, Flynn returned the favour and helped her find strength from within.
"She stayed by my side for days on the couch, only ever leaving to eat or drink," Stephanie told The Mirror.
"I kept thinking about the pain she'd gone through and I knew if she could do it, so could I."
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Stephanie rescued basset hound Flynn from an animal centre in 2014, after she was found as a puppy wandering the streets alone.
"She was super shy and sweet, and absolutely terrified of men," Stephanie recalled. "We bonded and she overcame her trauma."
In May 2020, six-year-old Flynn suddenly broke her back when she jumped on Stephanie's bed and landed awkwardly.
"She became paralysed and her back two legs stopped working," Stephanie said.
Flynn had to have emergency spinal surgery and a month of rehabilitation before she could put one paw in front of the other again.
"I slept on the floor with her for three months. I was right there with her and I cried so many tears as I watched her in pain," Stephanie said.
Just as Flynn began to recover, Stephanie noticed a bump on her eye that kept getting bigger.
"At one of her check-ups, I asked the vet what it was. She was diagnosed with aggressive salivary gland cancer," Stephanie said.
The same vet that fixed her legs went on to remove the tumour from under her eye - but the cancer had devastatingly already spread.
In August 2020, poor Flynn had surgery to remove her eyeball, two bones in her face and a lymph node.
And while she looked almost unrecognisable, the most important part was that she was cancer free.
"Quite a few people told me to put her down and said she'd be a lot of work - but I never would. I had faith and I knew God would help her," Stephanie said.
One year on, their roles reversed when Stephanie was diagnosed with endometriosis in September 2021.
"I had a laparoscopy and Flynn was my biggest support. I couldn't have got through it without her," Stephanie said.
Flynn became inseparable from Stephanie and refused to leave her side until she got better.
"She inspires me every day. When I am tired or unwell, I think about how she pushed on," Stephanie said.
"She brings me so much joy and she means the whole world to me.
"We've been through all the highs and lows of life together."
Seven-year-old Flynn's positive attitude doesn't just inspire Stephanie, but lots of strangers too.
"People always ask what happened to her face in the street, and they give her extra hugs and love when I explain," Stephanie said.
"Most of them are just curious, especially children, but I love sharing her story. It's inspiring."
Stephanie pays thanks to her supportive family for helping her through her own health battles, and to all of Flynn's social media followers, who contributed towards her back surgery.
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