Nursing Unit Manager Patricia Bate-Charlton took in Silver the whippet while his owner Ronald Cook underwent surgery for bowel cancer this month.

On the weekend she returned the 11-year-old dog back to his 72-year-old owner, who cried tears of joy to be reunited with his best friend.

"We're very, very close. Whippets can be timid, so it's sometimes like looking after a child, but they're the best companions," he said.

"I was meant to have surgery before this - but Silver got out and disappeared for four days. A good samaritan picked him up and took him to the vet who rang me.

"Unfortunately he'd been run over and was injured so needed surgery and so I needed to concentrate on getting him back to health."

The Shellharbour pensioner lives alone, far from any family members and had no-one to leave his sick dog with while he had his own operation.

However when his surgeon, Dr Robert Winn, discussed the case with the surgical team at Wollongong Hospital - Ms Bate-Charlton was only too happy to help out.

"I'd recently lost my own 16-year-old dog, and I thought I can look after this man's dog," she said.

"I'm the youngest of nine children and have the most amazing support from both family and friends.

"Yet here was an elderly man living in the community with no family close by - you'd be amazed how many people in the community have no support.

"As a nurse I think it's important we do all we can to support our patients - and this is a man who'd put his pet's needs over his own.

"I think a little bit of kindness goes a long way."

Ms Bate-Charlton put her nursing skills to good use, helping in Silver's recovery while caring for him over the two weeks.

Now he's back with Mr Cook, and they're slowly getting better together.

"I can't thank Dr Winn and his team enough for the care they showed me, and while I'm a bit sore, sick and sorry I'm getting better every day," he said.

"And I couldn't be more grateful for the kindness of this wonderful nurse - to take my animal to let me have my operation is just unbelievable.

"She helped nurse Silver back to health while I got back on my feet."

Wollongong Hospital staff also donated dog food, bedding and more to help Mr Cook and Silver.

"I don't think I could have put that operation off too much longer, so it's a miracle how everyone came together to help me," Mr Cook said.