Cheers, cupcakes and wagging tails marked a special celebration at Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia on Thursday, Aug. 7, as patients and staff honored two of their beloved facility dogs and welcomed a new four-legged team member.
Casey, an 8-year-old golden retriever, and Nugget, who turns 10 on Aug. 19, were the guests of honor at a hallway birthday party complete with a whipped cream relay race, party favors and puppy-friendly cupcakes.
Patients joined in on the fun with stuffed animal giveaways and coloring pages, celebrating the comfort companions who play a vital role in their care, according to a press release from Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center.
The celebration also introduced Loretta Lynn, a 2-year-old black Labrador retriever mix and the hospital’s newest facility dog.
Funded through grants from the American Cancer Society’s PAWS program and ACE Hardware Foundation’s Helping Hands program, Loretta Lynn will primarily support pediatric hematology and oncology patients.
“She was from the country music litter,” said Child Life manager and Loretta Lynn’s handler Kym Allen. “Her brothers and sister are Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton.”
Facility dogs like Loretta Lynn are trained through Canine Assistants, which names each dog based on a theme, according to a press release from Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center.
These dogs receive extensive training over two years, including time spent in hospital settings before being permanently placed with their handlers.
Unlike therapy dogs, which often visit hospitals temporarily, facility dogs become permanent members of the care team, according to a press release from Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center.
The dogs must adhere to strict hygiene standards due to their close contact with immunocompromised children and are trained to help children feel more at ease during treatments and procedures.
“Pretty much anything that’s going to happen to a child before they take their special nap for surgery, they can do to Casey,” said Child Life Specialist and Nugget’s handler Harleigh Smith. “From putting a pulse oximeter on her paw pad to placing an anesthesia mask over her snoot.”
Although Loretta Lynn is just beginning her rounds, she has already spent time acclimating at the hospital and Camp Rainbow. She will split her time between the inpatient hospital and the outpatient infusion clinic on West Wheeler Road.
“Loretta will certainly brighten the patients’ day and give them a chance to forget about hospital stuff while visiting with her,” Allen said.
With tails wagging and spirits lifted, Wellstar’s birthday bash highlighted the healing power of paws—and the newest pup ready to make a difference, according to a press release from Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center.
