Why Annie supports Humanimal Trust: How Brinkley’s legacy inspired a mission toward One Medicine
For many people, the bond with a beloved animal becomes one of the most profound relationships of their lives. And when illness strikes, including conditions like cancer, dementia, and neurological disease, the similarities between human and animal health become impossible to ignore. Annie’s Golden Retriever, Brinkley, faced a long, brave battle with cancer, living years beyond expectations thanks to dedicated veterinary teams and advances in treatment. His journey highlighted for Annie the urgent need for One Medicine — a world where human and veterinary medicine work together, share research, and accelerate progress for all species.
Shared conditions, shared opportunities
“I lost Brinkley in June 2022, which was utterly devastating and I miss him deeply and think about him every day”, Annie said. “But he was truly remarkable with his cancer journey and doubled his life expectancy, surviving almost seven years after his diagnosis. He passed away just three weeks before his 14th birthday. His later days saw him slow down with polyneuropathy and dementia — both conditions affecting humans as well. Wouldn’t it be good if research in human medicine and veterinary medicine supported each other to achieve faster diagnosis times and offer additional treatment options?”
A legacy of resilience
“Brinkley leaves behind a legacy of resilience, determination, and a zest for life, made possible by his amazing team of veterinary professionals. They supported me in giving him the best quality of life, and a lot of fun, along the way. I shall forever be grateful for their knowledge and expertise. We all have a lot to learn from each other.
Having watched, with enormous pride, the courage and resilience with which Brinkley battled the multiple mast cell tumours — and having seen very close friends fall ill at a time when they should be enjoying life to the fullest — I felt it was time to step outside my comfort zone and give something back and so I did the most crazy thing I’ve ever done in my life: I abseiled down the Spinnaker Tower to raise money for Humanimal Trust. For Brinkley, for friends and family past and present whom I love, I hope it made a difference for someone out there.”
Why One Medicine matters
“The Humanimal Trust is a charity dear to my heart because its sole purpose is to fuse human and veterinary medicine in collaborative partnership, for the benefit of all. Every day there are advancements and breakthroughs in both veterinary and human medicine, yet at present, neither profession routinely collaborates to share information that could progress cancer treatments and therapies for humans and animals simultaneously.
Because of Brinkley’s battle I am particularly interested in their research into medical and surgical oncology, but this is not just about cancer. Many will have seen the incredible orthopaedic work of Professor Noel Fitzpatrick — who is also the founder of the Humanimal Trust. Over the last ten years, he has developed pioneering surgical techniques for animals, yet many of these proven approaches still aren’t available in human medicine.”
The power of animal assisted intervention
“Another area the Humanimal Trust supports is Animal Assisted Intervention. Many are familiar with Pets As Therapy dogs who visit hospitals, care homes, and schools. The therapy dog team at Southampton Children’s Hospital local to me is researching not only the ‘nice feeling’ from the visits, but also whether there’s a measurable physical impact: changes to heart rate, blood pressure, adrenaline. What about engagement and patient compliance with treatment? And what role does this play in recovery?
I know firsthand the calming effect and unconditional love Brinkley gave me, and Humanimal Trust has funded research that confirms the incredible emotional and healing powers of our canine companions, helping to increase collaboration between healthcare professionals and the amazing Pets As Therapy volunteers across the country.”
A call for collaboration
“The old saying ‘two heads are better than one’ has never been more true. Collaborating, sharing research, surgical techniques, and care plans has to advance both human and veterinary medicine — faster, more efficiently, and with better outcomes for everyone.”
