Kip, a Staghound cross Kelpie, and her handler, Danielle, visited the cancer ward at Box Hill Hospital recently – brightening the day for staff and patients receiving treatment.
“The joy on everyone’s face when Kip arrived was so moving!” says Daniel Goodman, Nurse Unit Manager.
“It’s a simple thing to have a dog visit, but it was evident that Pet Therapy can significantly reduce people’s stress and improve their wellbeing.”
Kip, who is part of the Delta Therapy Dogs program, will be visiting the cancer ward each fortnight for the foreseeable future.
This is only possible thanks to the amazing generosity of Philip, a patient who made a wonderful donation to the cancer ward to say thank you for the two years of life-saving treatment he received after he was diagnosed with melanoma in 2019.
“I hadn’t realised how beneficial Pet Therapy could be,” explains Philip. “Like many of the staff and patients who met Kip on the first day of the program, I was overcome with emotion. Kip had a powerful impact – his visit brought smiles and tears of joy to the ward.”
As Nurse Daniel explains, “Pet Therapy is a fantastic addition to the care we provide at Eastern Health. We are immensely grateful for Philip’s generous support”.
Visit here to make a donation to support patients receiving cancer treatment at Eastern Health.
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