Support dog Frankie sparks smiles at MND centre

6 hours ago

Grace ShawYorkshire

News image — Rob and Lindsey Burrow's children Macy, Maya and Jackson met new support dog Frankie and showed him round the centre

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Three children smile at the camera as they sit on a blue chairs in a white-painted room with colourful decorations. In front of them sits a golden coloured dog with floppy ears wearing a yellow bow round its neck. — Rob and Lindsey Burrow's children Macy, Maya and Jackson met new support dog Frankie and showed him round the centre

A new therapy dog who has started work at the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease has already brought "a smile to everyone's faces", staff have said.

Australian labradoodle Frankie has begun his job at the centre in Leeds, which is named after the Leeds Rhinos player who was diagnosed with MND in 2019 and who died in June 2024, aged 41.

Burrow's children, Macy, Maya and Jackson, were among those to meet Frankie recently when he took a tour of the new centre, which opened in November.

Gary Jevon, manager of the facility, said therapy dogs like Frankie "bring people joy and spark moments of magic, which carries real therapeutic value".

Therapy dog Frankie helped children at the Rob Burrow MND Centre with an Easter egg hunt

"Pet visits can help reduce anxiety and create calmer conversations at what can be a stressful time," Jevon explained.

"They offer emotional support and non-judgmental companionship, which is really valuable for people who are unwell, isolated or facing life-changing diagnoses."

Therapy dog handler and Leeds Teaching Hospitals volunteer Liz said such animals were perfect for providing comfort, companionship and emotional warmth to patients and their loved ones.

They reduced anxiety, stress and isolation, lifted people's mood and improved wellbeing, as well as "sparking connections and comforting families and carers, while boosting staff morale", she said.

A golden coloured dog with floppy ears wearing a yellow bow round its neck and with its tongue hanging out. A person, slightly out of frame, is standing to the right of the dog. They are wearing a green t-shirt and are touching the dog. — NHS staff say visits from animals can help reduce feelings of stress and isolation

Family support worker Sam Oakes, whose job is funded by the MND Association, said his team helped people with MND and their families create lasting memories and find moments of joy, and Frankie could be an "amazing part" of that.

"He really brings a smile to everyone's faces," Oakes said.

"It was lovely to see the excitement on the children's faces when they met him and showed him around - and the reaction from colleagues has been fantastic, too."

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said Frankie was an assessed and qualified therapy dog registered with Pets As Therapy, an organisation which highlights the "power" of pet interactions in hospitals, care homes and community settings.

The hospital trust charity said sessions at the centre included yoga, bereavement group meetings and memory-making sessions, and it was providing funding for more resources.

The £6.8m Rob Burrow Centre for MND was funded through donations to the Leeds Hospitals Charity, with much of the cash raised with the help of a campaign spearheaded by Burrow's friend and former team-mate Kevin Sinfield.

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