NORFOLK, Va. — Being admitted to the hospital can be a scary ordeal, as an adult or a child.
One local hospital doesn’t just have doctors, nurses, and PA’s to make patients feel better, they have specialists, the four-legged variety.
Meteorologist Tim Pandajis got a chance to visit Sentara Norfolk General Hospital to highlight the wonderful work of therapy dogs.
Modern medicine can treat and cure, but petting a dog can truly heal. More and more hospitals have been bringing aboard therapy dogs to aid in their patient care, one organization that provides these dogs is Therapy Dogs International.
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Tim met with Biscuit and Leroy Brown, two dogs who have a lot of loving to give.
Kay Perkinson is Biscuit’s human. She talked about what the program means to the both of them.
“She really chose the job, and then as I started getting more involved in it it is such a blessing to be able to see people light up when a dog walks into their room, a patient that might not have had a good day,” Perkinson said.
Dog owners know all about the unconditional love that a dog has, being able to share that love with others is a true gift and that is just what these dogs and humans get to do every day.
“We’ve been in rooms where we leave and I’ve heard the wife or the parent say that’s the first time they’ve smiled in a week, so it’s a way to give back to the community,” said Perkinson.
I asked Kay what were some stories that were most memorable of you and Biscuit’s time with patients.
“She was a burn victim and she had been there for about four months and as we walked up to her with all of her scars and all of her pain, my dog just loved her, Biscuit kissed her, and she was laughing and giggling and the interaction was just so precious,”Perkinson said when asked what were some stories that were most memorable of her and Biscuit.
Lindsay Fanney is with Sentara Norfolk General. She said the feedback has been amazing.
“It’s wonderful. We actually have daily requests for patient visits and when the dogs go in the patients just get so excited and its that instant joy that they forget about what's going on medically and it brings them joy and satisfaction and just a smile to their face,” Fanney said.
Nothing better than the love of a dog.
If anyone is looking to get involved, reach out to Sentara via email to see if a dog could lend some smiles to someone in need. Email: Snghvolunteers@sentara.com