MADISON, Wis. – Jimmy and Cash are the newest four-legged employees at American Family Children’s Hospital.
The two dogs have joined the child life team over the past year to help patients and families navigate and manage complex medical needs during their hospital stay. This brings the total to five dogs that are full-time employees as part of the Canine Health and Medical Pals program known as CHAMPs.
Jimmy is a two-year-old male mixed-breed, half Labrador and half golden retriever, that started in July 2024. Jimmy works in the universal care unit at the hospital with Katrina Anderson, child life specialist, UW Health Kids, as his primary handler. Tessa Martin, nurse manager, UW Health Kids, and Heather Sheehan, child life therapy assistant, UW Health Kids, are secondary handlers.
Jimmy sees inpatients under neurology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonary, and the pediatric intensive care unit step-down services for kids transitioning from intensive to general care, according to Anderson. This patient population did not have access to a facility dog prior to Jimmy’s arrival.
“Jimmy is a friendly face to a lot of patients who need long-term support and care,” she said. “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 is the newest facility dog, joining the team in April 2025. He is a two-year-old male, half golden retriever, a quarter Labrador and a quarter golden retriever-poodle mix. Cash assists nutrition patients in many areas of the hospital, working alongside Jackie Dioszegi, clinical nutritionist, UW Health Kids, who serves as his primary handler. Laura Bodine and Camila Martin, both clinical nutritionists, UW Health Kids, are secondary handlers.
Cash helps support the nutrition team in having more in-depth conversations with patients about complex topics, such as transitioning from a feeding tube to solid food, for example, according to Dioszegi.
Cash lifts the spirits of patients, staff and parents, she said.
“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,” she 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.”
Archie, a 3-year-old male golden retriever-poodle mix, joined in March 2024 and works with the pediatric hematology and oncology team. Cola, a 4-year-old male golden retriever, Labrador-poodle mix that joined the staff in August 2022, works with patients receiving palliative care. Kiko, a 6-year-old female golden retriever-poodle mix, was the first canine to start in September 2021, and works with patients at the Diagnostic and Therapy Center in various areas, including the infusion center, sedation clinic and radiology.
The CHAMPs program differs from the Caring Canines Program, which relies on volunteers and focuses on brief, uplifting social visits. In contrast, the facility dogs work full-time. They are present during procedures, treatments and difficult discussions, according to Brianna Peterson, child life specialist and canine program coordinator, UW Health Kids.
Both programs are funded entirely by philanthropy, and these dogs make a huge difference, she said.
“It is so exciting to see how fast the CHAMPs program has grown, and we could not do it without community support,” she 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 non-profit organization in Georgia that professionally trains dogs to work in health care settings.
