Assistance dog allowed on labour ward to assist anxious mom to be

PHOTO BY JANE RUSSELL/SWNS. Amee Tomkin, Belle and baby.

NEWS AND VIEWS - MILTON KEYNES, UK: Amee Tomkin has been diagnosed with autism, anxiety and OCD. It is tough for her. She lives with a female Staffie-type dog companion called Belle. Tomkin said:

"Without her I am too anxious to leave the house."

Her anxiety is that serious which is why she was delighted that the was allowed to have Belle beside her in the maternity ward at Milton Keynes University Hospital throughout labour and delivery.

Belle is the first dog allowed on the labour ward. The first woman in Britain to have her dog beside her during birth as a medical aid was Charlotte Beard in 2021.

Tomkin was allowed to have Belle on her bed before she went into theatre and Belle was the first to meet Tomkin's son after Olly after Tomin had her caesarian.

Tomkin said:

"My midwife at the hospital was fabulous but having Belle with me is like having another midwife there all the time, to keep me calm and check on myself and Olly."

She added:

"After 12 years, I thought I'd never concede. When I did it was a very complicated pregnancy and there were times when we feared the worst. It's a miracle I'm still here and safe and my baby too. The doctors and nurses were brilliant and we have Belle to thank too."

It's beyond doubt that Belle did wonders in being beside her master and caregiver during pregnancy and delivery in the labour ward at this Hertfordshire hospital.

Cat 'Kolo' who visited a hospital's emergency department to cheer up patients gets a statue in his memory

Kolo, a male tabby cat, lived near Southmead Hospital in Bristol, UK. He clearly liked to visit the hospital particularly the Accident & Emergency department. It is not that unusual for a local domestic cat to visit an organisation like the NHS because there is no doubt in my mind that these individual cats have been left alone all day and they need the stimulation of interaction with people. That's a result of their domestication. And so, they go and find people.

Kolo. Photo: Julie White (believed).

And if they wander into an A&E department of the local hospital and are not rejected by the people there, they will return. And that's how you develop a nice relationship between the hospital staff and in this instance Kolo.

By all accounts he was a very sweet boy. He was loved and he helped to keep the mood up in the hospital by providing comfort to the patients and they appreciated it.

Julie White, who works for North Bristol NHS at Southmead found Kolo to be a wonderful cat and she wants the staff at the hospital and visitors to remember him. 

She is trying to raise sufficient funds to leave a statue in his memory and in memory of all the smiling faces he left behind thanks to his pleasant nature and company.

Lynda Johnson is one those who benefited from Kolo when she was at the hospital. She said on the fundraiser page for the statue (see below):

"Thank you, Kolo, for comforting me when I was alone at Southmead in 2021. You sat and waited for me to have my X-rays, and then again while I waited for my lift home. You will be much missed."

And a spokesperson at the North Bristol NHS Trust said:

"We were very sad to hear the news that Kolo the cat has passed away."

They added:

"We're aware a fundraising campaign has been started, and we will work with the organisers of this campaign to agree an appropriate way to remember Kolo."

So far, the campaign has raised £3,835, more than three times the goal of £1,000.

Kolo was actually injured in a car accident presumably while he was approaching the hospital or leaving it. That was always a possibility I would have thought. It is a great shame that he had to be euthanised because he was too badly injured. Not a great way to die especially for a wonderful cat who was providing a therapy service to people who needed it.

Here is a short video of him. I can't guarantee that it will function for the lifetime of this website. Sorry.

@lokkidokkey #foryourpage #fyp #cat ♬ My House - Welcome To My World