How One Dog Helped An East Sussex Woman Through Incurable Blood Cancer – And Why She's Urging Others To Know The Signs Of Myeloma

LONDON, 6 AUGUST 2026: When retired airline captain Anne Oliver was told she had incurable blood cancer, she thought welcoming a new puppy into her family was the last thing she should do. 

Instead, it became one of the best decisions she ever made. 

Just hours after learning she would need urgent treatment for multiple myeloma, an incurable cancer of the bone marrow, Anne received another life-changing phone call. The breeder she'd been waiting a year to hear from rang to say her Royal Kennel Club registered Weimaraner puppy, Jessie, was ready to come home. 

"My first thought was that now definitely wasn't the time for a puppy," Anne recalls. "I was about to begin chemotherapy followed by a stem cell transplant, and I knew I was going to be very poorly." 

But Anne's husband and her clinical nurse specialist encouraged her not to give up on Jessie. 

"My nurse actually rang me the same day I'd been told I needed treatment and said, 'Still get the puppy.' Looking back, I'm so glad I listened." 

The decision changed Anne's life. 

During months of chemotherapy and her stem cell transplant, Jessie became Anne's constant companion, rarely leaving her side. The only time the pair have been apart was during the three weeks Anne spent in hospital for her transplant. 

"Everyone says I needed Jessie, but actually Jessie needed me as much as I needed her," Anne says. "She gave me a reason to get up every morning. It would have been so easy to let the cancer become my whole life, but she kept me focused on something positive." 

Once Anne's immune system had recovered enough, the pair discovered agility together. 

Neither had any previous experience of the sport, but what started as something fun soon became an important part of Anne's recovery. 

"Agility makes you focus entirely on your dog. Unlike many sports, you're not just thinking about yourself. You're communicating, working as a team and building an incredible bond. For that time in the ring, everything else disappears." 

She also believes keeping active has played a key role in helping her through treatment. 

"Fitness really does help. Being as strong as you can be before and during treatment makes a huge difference. Staying active, where you can, gives you something positive to work towards." 

Now 59, Anne and Jessie compete together in Grade 3 agility and jumping competitions and are regulars at agility events around the country, including the International Agility Festival taking place 6-9 August, where Anne says she's found a community unlike any other. 

"You have to look for the fun," she says. "We celebrate every run, whether we win or not. It's about taking part, spending time together and enjoying every moment. The friendships and support we've found through agility have been incredible." 

Jessie has even found her own way of giving back. 

Because Anne received blood products during her treatment and can no longer donate blood herself, Jessie is now a regular donor for Pet Blood Bank UK. 

She said: "It's our way of saying thank you." 

Anne's positive attitude and active lifestyle have also opened another door. Later this year she hopes to take part in a pioneering clinical trial of CAR-T cell therapy. 

"They've said one of the reasons I'm a suitable candidate is because I'm so fit and well despite everything that's happened." 

Now Anne hopes sharing her story will encourage more people to be aware of multiple myeloma, which is often diagnosed late because its symptoms can be vague. 

"I was incredibly fortunate that mine was picked up during a routine aviation medical. So many people aren't diagnosed until they've suffered something serious like kidney failure or fractures in their spine." 

"If sharing my story encourages just one person to get checked earlier, it will have been worthwhile." 

As Anne and Jessie prepare to compete at the Royal Kennel Club's International Agility Festival, she hopes people take one message away from their journey. 

"Life can change in an instant, but it doesn't mean the joy has to stop. For me, Jessie and agility gave me purpose, friendship and something wonderful to focus on. Sometimes you simply have to look for the fun."