Kristine Richards, a 61-year-old resident of Wellington, Somerset, credits her chihuahua, Flag, with saving her life after the dog began an unusual habit that led to the early detection of her breast cancer. Flag, now eight years old, developed a persistent behaviour of pawing at the underside of Kristine’s arm. Initially dismissed as mere nuisance behaviour, Kristine soon noticed a small lump in the area, prompting her to seek medical advice.
In 2018, having connected Flag’s fixation with what she had heard about dogs detecting illness, Kristine underwent medical examinations. These tests revealed hormone-sensitive lobular breast cancer, despite her feeling well and showing no other symptoms. The timing of this discovery was critical, as it allowed for earlier intervention.
Kristine recounted, “My initial thought was that it was nothing, but then I started to wonder if there was a connection. I went to get it looked at and it was cancer. You can’t underestimate the shock. I couldn’t take it in. I just started crying.”
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Following the diagnosis, Kristine underwent a comprehensive series of checks including a mammogram and ultrasound. Doctors subsequently informed her that the cancer was aggressive and had spread to her lymph nodes. This initiated an intensive treatment plan comprising surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and drug therapy.
The treatment was challenging; chemotherapy was halted early due to adverse effects impacting her feet and legs, raising fears she might lose her ability to walk. Despite these setbacks, around a year after her diagnosis, Kristine was declared in remission, and the cancer has not returned.
Reflecting on this difficult period, she said, “It was a very difficult time of my life. In times like those, you find out who your true friends are, and ultimately, I did, and the answer was my dog. I am now in remission, I cried with relief when they told me. It was like getting to the end of a very long journey where you don’t quite know where you are going.”
Flag has since been trained as an assistance dog and is regarded as a local hero, often rewarded with affection and his favourite lamb treats. Kristine revealed that he has even helped protect her from danger, recalling an incident where he stopped her from stepping into the path of a moving car.
The little chihuahua’s profile has grown in the community; he was named honorary mayor of St Marychurch in Torquay and is celebrated as a “community champion”. Kristine and Flag support various charity initiatives together, including hosting coffee mornings.
She emphasised the profound impact Flag’s behaviour had on her life: “If he hadn’t alerted me, it would have taken much longer for me to go about it. He saved my life. I owe my dog everything.”
Currently, the pair are active supporters of Breast Cancer Now’s Wear It Pink campaign, encouraging public participation to raise vital funds and awareness. Kristine added, “The more people know about him, the more money we can raise for charity and the more awareness we can get.”