Madison Reporter

Jimmy and Cash have joined the staff at American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, bringing the total number of facility dogs in the Canine Health and Medical Pals (CHAMPs) program to five. These full-time dogs are integrated into patient care teams to help children and their families manage medical challenges during hospital stays.

Jimmy, a 2-year-old mixed-breed dog who is half Labrador and half golden retriever, began working at the hospital in July 2024. He is primarily handled by Katrina Anderson, a child life specialist with UW Health Kids, with additional support from nurse manager Tessa Martin and child life therapy assistant Heather Sheehan. Jimmy assists patients in neurology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonary care, and those transitioning from intensive to general care.

“Jimmy is a friendly face to a lot of patients who need long-term support and care,” said Anderson. “Jimmy provides emotional support, is a part of the coping plan and is a great addition to the program that helps our patients tremendously.”

Cash joined as the newest facility dog in April 2025. He is also two years old and has golden retriever, Labrador, and poodle ancestry. Cash works with nutrition patients across various areas of the hospital alongside his primary handler Jackie Dioszegi, clinical nutritionist at UW Health Kids. Clinical nutritionists Laura Bodine and Camila Martin serve as secondary handlers for Cash.

Cash’s role includes supporting conversations about complex nutritional topics such as moving from feeding tubes to solid foods.

“Cash bonds well with teenagers, and they open up to us more because they let us talk to them longer if the dog is in the room,” Dioszegi said. “Some of these patients and families are going through a difficult time, so it is rewarding to see the smiles on the faces of the kids and parents.”

Other members of the CHAMPs program include Archie (a golden retriever-poodle mix working with hematology/oncology), Cola (a golden retriever-Labrador-poodle mix supporting palliative care), and Kiko (the first canine member serving diagnostic and therapy areas).

The CHAMPs program differs from volunteer-based programs like Caring Canines by having full-time dogs present during medical procedures or challenging discussions. Brianna Peterson, child life specialist and canine program coordinator for UW Health Kids, noted both programs are funded through philanthropy.

“It is so exciting to see how fast the CHAMPs program has grown, and we could not do it without community support,” Peterson said. “We are so fortunate because these dogs are so well loved, and we can reach more and more patients.”

American Family Children’s Hospital partners with Canine Assistants—a Georgia-based non-profit—for professional training of its facility dogs.