Judi Sandilands-Cincotta was awarded the special honour by Mental Health Commission of NSW Jennifer Black. Photo: NSW Mental Health Commission.
A retired nurse who saw a special opportunity to ease anxiety and offer comfort through a therapy dog has been recognised by the NSW Mental Health Commission for her ongoing work within the community.
Judi Sandilands-Cincotta was no stranger to helping others and had been in the mental health space for more than a decade, but when she retired, she wanted to keep busy and contribute to society and became a puppy raiser for Guide Dogs.
“I decided that I was going to do something that I hadn’t done before and was totally outside of my comfort zone which is good for an older person to do things that they’ve not done for cognition,” Judi said.
Through the program she was introduced to Ollie the Labrador.
“Sometimes you have a vision of what this dog’s temperament was like and she was just so good, so obedient and just wanted to do things,” Judi said.
“I knew there was something about this dog that I could do something with.”
After Judi had finished Ollie’s training, she was set for the therapy program and Judi straight away put up her hand to take her back.
“We decided to see with schools and everything what was around,” Judi said.
“It’s just amazing what can be accomplished by using a dog in students’ lives to improve their wellbeing and their day, and also the teachers’ as well.”
Since they joined forces in 2021, Judi and Ollie have visited schools, emergency services, libraries, paediatric clinics and courthouses.
And Judi has watched the impact it has had, particularly on young people in the education system.
“It’s really well documented the psychological effects that animals, not just a dog, can have in decreasing anxiety and making them more calm,” she said.
“Even for 10 minutes or so it really helps the teachers to get that child to model the calmness that Ollie is demonstrating.
“And Ollie regulates her behaviour, so the students regulate their behaviour as well, and it’s massive to see that transformation.
Every visit is on Judi’s own dollar, with her efforts also still going towards puppy raising, and she never asks for any special recognition.
So when two teachers from different schools nominated her for the Wayahead’s 2025 Mental Health Matters Awards, she was in disbelief.
“It was really nice that they think that what I contribute to their school and everything means something,” Judi said.
“It was fantastic.”
But it wasn’t just the schools that could see the importance with what she was doing, with Judi making the finals and being named the commissioner’s Community Champion Individual Award winner.
“It was just a total surprise when you see the calibre of the organisation,” Judi said.
“We kind of jumped up when our name was called; it was just totally a funny reaction, but it felt great.”
As well as the accolades that come with the award, a cash prize of $2000 will also ensure Judi and Ollie can continue to get to wherever they’re needed for a long time to come.
“I use a lot of petrol so to have that it means a lot,” Judi said.
“I didn’t even think about it but it was really nice that they sought to give it to me because I self-fund everything we do.”
Wollongong’s Grand Pacific Health was also celebrated at the event, taking home the Health Promotion Award for its locally-driven magazine project which shares lived experiences of rural resilience and mental health, aiming to overcome engagement barriers in remote NSW and promote self-care, awareness, and support through storytelling.
The awards act as an important recognition of people and businesses helping create vital supports for others as part of Mental Health Month, with one in five Australians having a mental or behaviour condition.
But for Judi, it’s not about the number of people she can help, but how much she can help each person.
“We know that even if there’s only one child, one student that we’re making a difference in their life, then it’s all worth it.”
