Facility Dogs

Tia's Touches

The Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center is excited for you to meet Tia, our affectionate facility dog. The 3-year-old yellow Lab has a comforting presence wherever she goes, and she works full time to offer emotional support and assist in any way she can.

Tia is always eager to lend a helping paw, whether it’s picking up a dropped item, retrieving a fallen cane, or pulling a wheelchair. She has extensive training to handle a variety of simple tasks. She can even provide a steadying force for those who need a little extra stability when standing.

Tia is an integral part of our supportive care. She is trained to serve in diverse settings, from group activities and one-on-one interactions at Simmons Cancer Center to nursing home visits and community events. Tia’s playful nature and love for belly scratches and rope toys brings a sense of normalcy and joy. Through her work with the Young Adult Cancer Support group and the Families Connected program, Tia helps to foster a nurturing community where patients and their families can connect, share, and heal together.

Meet Rue

Tia is no longer the only four-legged member of our team. We are excited to welcome Rue, our second facility dog, to Simmons Cancer Center.

Rue joined our team to expand the reach of animal-assisted support throughout Simmons and to help ensure that more patients, families, and staff can benefit from the comfort and connection that a facility dog can provide. While Rue is still completing her training and developing her skills, she is already becoming an important part of our supportive care community.

Like Tia, Rue is a Labrador retriever with a natural ability to connect with people. But Rue has her own personality and way of working. She is playful, curious, and enthusiastic, bringing a different energy to Simmons Cancer Center. As she continues her training, Rue is learning the specialized skills needed to work safely and effectively in a busy cancer care environment, including how to navigate different clinical settings, respond appropriately to patients’ needs, and provide comfort through her presence and interactions.

Rue’s training is intentionally incorporated into her day-to-day work. Under the guidance of her handlers, she is learning with the help of patients, families, and staff while gaining experience in the many situations she may encounter as a facility dog. Her visits provide opportunities for her to practice new skills while also offering moments of connection, joy, and distraction for those she meets.

Having two facility dogs enables us to bring expanded support to our Simmons community. Tia brings extensive experience and a calm, steady presence, while Rue is eagerly learning and discovering how she can best serve. Their personalities, strengths, and stages of training are different, but both share the same purpose: helping make difficult moments a little softer.

We are grateful to welcome Rue to the Simmons Cancer Center family and look forward to watching her grow into her role. Together, Tia and Rue are helping us create more opportunities for comfort, connection, and moments of joy throughout the cancer experience.

We are thrilled to have Tia and Rue as part of our team at Simmons Cancer Center. They offer a unique and invaluable element to the care we provide. Whether you’re here receiving treatment, visiting a loved one, or working hard to help our patients, there may be a wagging tail, a gentle nudge, or a friendly paw ready to brighten your day.

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