For June Bullock, life without Lucy was never an option.
Lucy wasn't just her beloved pet cat - she was family. A constant companion for 18 years, she had been there through life's quiet moments and its most difficult chapters. So when June's health began to decline, her thoughts were not only for her own care, but for Lucy’s future too.
If she had to move into aged care, Lucy was coming with her. Because for June, their bond was not negotiable - it was essential.
Tragically, June's health deteriorated more quickly than expected. The plans she had made never came to pass, and she and Lucy were never reunited in their new home.
But June's story did not end there.
Because whilst planning for Lucy, June also planned for something more. Through a generous bequest, shaped by her lifelong love of cats, June created an enduring legacy that would help countless other cats and the people who love them.
For June Bullock, Lucy was a constant companion for 18 years. Images: Supplied by the estate of June Bullock.
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LinkAt the heart of this legacy is Dr Sally Coggins (BVS '07, PhD '24), a postdoctoral researcher at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science who is working at the forefront of feline infectious disease. In a field where funding is often short-term and tightly tied to individual projects, the support provided by the June Rose Bullock Bequest has made something rare possible: the chance to build a body of work, not just contribute to one.
It has given Dr Coggins the space to ask bigger questions, follow ideas further, and bring others into the work along the way. Just as importantly, it has established a lasting foundation for feline health research, supporting future generations of researchers to build on this work.
"This bequest has given me something that is incredibly rare in companion animal research - the ability to build something meaningful over time," says Dr Coggins. "It's not just funding a single project, it's created the foundation for a programme that is improving how we diagnose, treat and ultimately care for cats. Knowing that this work is grounded in someone's deep love for their own cat makes it even more powerful."
Knowing that this work is grounded in someone's deep love for their own cat makes it even more powerful.
Dr Sally Coggins
Postdoctoral Researcher, Sydney School of Veterinary Science
June's legacy has enabled Dr Coggins to establish and lead a globally recognised research effort focused on feline infectious diseases, including Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), which is a devastating and often fatal condition unless diagnosed and treated quickly. It's complex, highly technical work - but at its core is something simple: giving cats a better chance at life, and giving the people who love them more time. Her work also extends beyond the lab, with the development of education resources that help veterinarians rapidly apply the latest research findings in clinical practice.
Dr Coggins is one of the first researchers to benefit from June's generosity, but she will not be the last. Supporting feline health research in perpetuity, the bequest will continue to fund researchers, students and innovative projects long into the future.
"The impact of June's gift is felt right across our School," says Professor Jacqueline Norris, Head of School and Dean at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science. "Her generosity has not only enabled important discoveries, but it has also helped build a strong and growing community of researchers dedicated to feline health. It's creating momentum - the kind that carries forward into the next generation."
Alongside supporting Dr Coggins and establishing a postgraduate research scholarship, the bequest has funded six feline related research projects through small grants, helping drive new discoveries to improve diagnostic tools and emerging treatments.
June understood something many people feel instinctively - that the bond between people and their animals matters, especially in life's most vulnerable moments.
Through her bequest, June has helped ensure that bond continues to be honoured and strengthened through research that improves the lives of cats and those who care for them.
June and Lucy may not have had the future they imagined together. But through this extraordinary gift, given more than a decade ago, their story continues - in every advance made, every student supported, and every cat given a better chance at life.
A legacy built on love, carried forward every day through discovery.
June's bequest is enabling researchers such as Dr Sally Coggins to build a body of work in feline infectious disease research. Photo: Supplied by Sally Coggins.
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