WRTV: Fishers hospital offers therapy dogs to infusion center patients
St. Vincent Ascension Infusion Center partners with Paws & Think to provide therapy dogs during patient’s treatment.
St. Vincent Ascension Infusion Center partners with Paws & Think to provide therapy dogs during patient’s treatment.
A new volunteer at Ascension St. Vincent’s infusion center has been providing patients with the kind of comfort that only a dog can give.
Lulu is a large, black goldendoodle with mounds of soft, curly fur. She is happy to get pets and treats from people going through treatment at the Fishers hospital’s infusion center, and in return, the 75-pound lapdog provides calming, unconditional love to patients.
PJ Kelly rubs the therapy dog’s thick, white fur as he breezes through “Piglet Comes Home,” the book he’d picked to read that day.
The 8-year-old has always loved stories and enjoys finding new books at Barnes & Noble, but he had little confidence in his reading skills. His mother said he used to open a book, see all the words, and get intimidated.
Alex Cruse was living the life of a teenager – going to school, working at Taco Bell and hanging out with friends.
Over the summer, all of that changed. Alex came so close to dying that his mother almost can’t bear to talk about it. Now, he sits beside her at Riley Hospital for Children, meeting a therapy dog named Gus and relearning how to speak through a trach and swallow without choking.
We’re thrilled to announce that Paws & Think has been awarded a generous $10,000 grant from the Efroymson Family Fund through the Central Indiana Community Foundation!
“Kids and dogs working together — it’s a great combination of energy and enthusiasm, leading to positive results for members of both species. That’s the goal of the youth-canine program, led by nonprofit Paws & Think.”
Mailing Address:
Paws and Think, Inc.
c/o Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP
1346 N. Delaware St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202-2415
Phone: 317-520-2729
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© Paws and Think, Inc. All rights reserved. Paws & Think, Inc., is a values-driven 501(c)(3) charitable organization incorporated in October 2001. Your donation is tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.