Dogs bring joy to East Valley hospital patients

GILBERT, Ariz. — A Mesa woman who is living with lupus is helping others by selflessly giving her time to help hospital patients in Gilbert find comfort.  And her two dogs are a big help.

It was several years ago when Laura Ibsen saw how her dog helped her friend who had suffered a stroke.  “I noticed that when my dog was there and sitting on her lap, my friend would just relax.  She’d even try to move her bad arm, and she would talk to me more than usual,” Ibsen said.

Later, Ibsen started bringing her dogs to visit patients at Chandler Regional Medical Center.

“We started at Chandler with two.  Now we’re up to almost 50 dogs between Chandler Regional and Mercy Gilbert (Medical Center in Gilbert),” said Ibsen.

Now, Patches and her other dog, Scooter, visit patients once a week at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in Gilbert.   The trained therapy dogs are all part of Dignity Health’s “Paws for Patients” program.

“The dogs make you laugh, and they bring a smile to your face no matter what you feel like,” said Ibsen.

She said that the dogs are a welcome sight for the patients.  One of those patients is Patricia Harrison, who sure likes the visits.

“They are lovable, and they make you love them,” Harrison said as she petted the dogs on her hospital bed.  “It’s a help to you.”

“How could you not love that face?” joked Ibsen as she sat next to the bed.

You can found more about the “Paws for Patients” program at www.supportdignityhealtheastvalley.org.

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