Recognizing pediatric pets at Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Sep 12, 2012, 3:41 PM | Updated: 3:41 pm
I hope you already know that, in just a few hours, the KTAR Give-a-Thon for Phoenix Children’s Hospital begins.
On Wednesday and Thursday, we’ll all be given the opportunity to help a child and it just doesn’t get better than that. You’ll hear about remarkable recoveries, putting broken pieces back together perfectly and how it’s all possible because of you.
But for just this moment, I’d like to introduce you to a very special kind of health giver that often doesn’t get the same attention that the doctors and nurses and medical specialists get.
You see, no matter how kind and caring the staff at Phoenix Children’s Hospital is, sometimes when a child sees the door opening it’s stressful — another needle, more medicine. Ah, but when through that door walks a therapist with long hair and a wet nose, suddenly everything is better.
The animal-assisted therapy program uses specially trained dogs for rehabilitation, because sometimes legs work better when there’s a dog to walk and the pain goes away when you’re hugging a golden retriever.
I just thought you should know some of the specialists at Phoenix Children’s Hospital smile and some wag their tails.
I’m Pat McMahon.