Inspirational Banbury woman will share her experiences on TV presenter's new podcast

Isabelle Atkins, who has mobility issues and uses a wheelchair, will speak to the former GMTV presenter about how she graduated from university with a first-class degree in politics with the help of her assistance dog Rumba.

Isabelle will feature on the third episode of the Paws to Talk podcast, which was launched to celebrate the special relationships dogs help people to form and to share stories of how assistance dogs have changed the lives of their owners.

Before being partnered with Rumba, Isabelle relied on carers or her dad to help her with many things. She said: “Getting dressed, opening doors, getting to tricky access buttons, picking things up, quite a lot of putting on and taking off my socks because of the nerve pain my condition gives me, so many little things that add up to a lot of asking for help.

“But Rumba helps with it all now and the result is that I’m not asking for human help so much. It makes me feel empowered, not held back. She’ll help pull off items of clothing, so I don’t dislocate my joints, she’ll open doors and pick up things I drop, so I don’t have to lean out of my chair and happily, she’s a fan of socks!”

Isabelle was matched with Rumba through the Banbury charity Dogs For Good and the partnership has changed her life.

She said: “Smiling is a big part of every day now and she’s truly the best thing that’s happened to me in a very long time.”