Remember when Dash was diagnosed with cancer?

For a few episodes in the beginning of the 1998 Blue Heelers season, Dash had been run down with what she thought was a common cold, perhaps at worst the flu. However, in episode 19, entitled “Deed Not The Breed”, Dash was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease, a form of lymphoid cancer. Let us reflect on what happened in that episode…

Dash befriended a stray dog, and naturally brought it back to the Station, much to Tom’s disgust. When Nick emerged from cleaning the cells (wearing overalls), the dog tried to attack Nick, leaving Nick running scared into the property cage. Tom subsequently ordered her to send the dog to the pound, but Dash defied him, and became rather defensive of the animal. She advertised on local radio for the owner of the dog to come forward. Two apparent “owners” turned up at the Station, and neither were proven to be the real owner. Dog attacks had been reported in the area, and all in all things weren’t looking too good for Dash’s new canine companion.

Meanwhile the Heelers were tracking down a missing man from Wangaratta reported to be sited in their district. The missing man was soon found- dead and mauled. Dash became desperate to prove that her little doggie friend was innocent. She was able to do so. The missing man was indeed attacked and mauled by a dog, but by a different dog. Dash was able to show that the dog she found was only viscious when approached by people wearing overalls. But why was it that Dash was so defensive and determined to save this dog from the pound?

That day she had attended, rather reluctantly, an appointment with a specialist, and had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. For the young and energetic Dash, contemplating being sick proved difficult. The shock of the diagnosis and fear for what future tests may reveal about her condition left Dash in tears at the Station.

Dash’s battle with cancer brought Dash and Maggie closer together, and despite having never liked Adam Cooper, it was sweet the way he brought Dash a cup-cake after each chemotherapy treatment.

Here is what Tasma Walton had to say about the episode in TV Week:

"Maggie and Dash forge an even stronger friendship through this experience," Tasma says. "Maggie refers to her mum and stresses that she didn't get a chance to fight, but  Dash has a chance so she has to fight it. Initially, Dash, being in denial, takes a defeatist attitude and is overwhelmed by it, but Maggie is very grounding and encouraging of the fact that it is not necessarily a death sentence for her." Even with Maggie's support though, Dash's pride takes over when it comes to treating her disease. "Dash has such pride in her health and well being that she doesn't want people to see her in what she sees as a weakened state," Tasma says.  "The positive thing for Dash is that once she's over the shock of being told she has cancer, which in other people's minds usually equals a death sentence, she actually starts to fight with a positive attitude to try to conquer it."