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Her mom died after a puppy’s scratch. So the grieving daughter flew 6,000 miles to save thousands of dogs in her honor

The 33-year-old pediatric nurse said nothing could prepare her to watch her mother suffer through such a horrific illness.

BY PAHUL NANRA

PUBLISHED 2 HOURS AGO

(L) An old woman holding her dog. (R) Stray dogs on the street. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) miodrag ignjatovic, (R) Nadinlargo)

A woman flew 6,000 miles to honor her late mother’s memory and help save thousands of dogs. Pediatric nurse, Robyn Thomson, carried out a mission born from heartbreak but guided by purpose. Months earlier, her mother, Yvonne Ford, had died after what seemed like the most harmless of incidents. The 59-year-old had been scratched by a puppy while relaxing on holiday. Neither she nor her family thought anything of it at the time. Yet, that moment changed their lives forever.

Couple hugging each other while crying. (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | Photo by cottonbro studio) — Couple hugging each other while crying. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by cottonbro studio)

As reported by The Telegraph, Yvonne’s ordeal began in February when she was lounging in the sun during a trip to Morocco. The scratch from the puppy was so minor that it didn’t even break the skin. But four months later, during a campervan trip in York, she suddenly developed an unbearable headache. Soon, she lost the ability to walk, swallow, or even sleep. Her daughter remembered the shock of learning the possible cause, “The first thing that comes up when you Google rabies is that it is almost always fatal.”

Yvonne passed away on June 11, 2025, at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. “It’s a horrendous disease to watch someone go through,” the 33-year-old said. “Nothing prepares you to see your mum pass away in general, never mind with such a horrendous illness.”

Two stray dogs on the street. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Phukhanh)

Determined that no one else should face the same loss, Robyn decided to act. She and her husband flew 6,000 miles for a campaign to protect dogs and people from the disease that took her mother’s life, aiming to raise more than $5,200. Their efforts led them to join hundreds of other volunteers in a record-breaking drive run by Mission Rabies in Cambodia. Over two weeks, teams worked tirelessly to vaccinate more than 221,000 dogs, including 10,000 in a single day on October 23, 2025. The charity’s founder, Dr. Luke Gamble, explained that the campaign's goal is to change the odds so that if a rabid dog enters an area, it’s more likely to bite a vaccinated one, stopping the chain of transmission. He called it a push to create “herd immunity,” a shield that protects both animals and humans.

Old woman at the hospital. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | FS Productions — Old woman at the hospital. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | FS Productions)

Robyn threw herself into the work, helping to vaccinate hundreds of dogs herself. The campaign didn’t just save animals, it also educated local communities about the importance of prevention. For Robyn, the experience was deeply healing. “I need to channel this grief into something positive,” she revealed. “For Mission Rabies, the aim is to eradicate rabies by 2030 — imagine just saying that you’ve been part of that... I feel like I’m doing this in my mum’s legacy.”

A vet and a volunteer at a hospital with a dog. Representative Cover Image Source: Mikhail Nilov — A vet and a volunteer at a hospital with a dog. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Mikhail Nilov)

Back home in the UK, Robyn continues to speak out. She’s urging travel agencies and holiday resorts to provide clearer warnings for tourists visiting regions where the disease still exists. She’s also working with her NHS Trust to improve awareness among healthcare workers. “In my whole training, I have never once had any training on rabies whatsoever,” she said. Robyn emphasized the importance of not underestimating the risks and urged anyone who gets scratched to seek vaccination without delay.