At Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Oncology, patients get therapy from friendly dogs

_{Pictured above left to right: Jim Ferrell with Marcell; Nora Parker with Pinocchio; Donna Forst with Cricket; and Maggie Schmidt with Kaya}

Therapy animals have long been a welcome sight at Providence Sonoma County hospitals, providing emotional support, companionship and happy distractions for patients before they’re discharged. But some patients, like those at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Oncology, visit long-term — often daily, for weeks or even months, and could use a friendly and furry visitor.

Don Forst, director of volunteer services for Providence Sonoma and Napa Counties, and Mario Orsolini, a chemotherapy infusion nurse at the oncology center, worked to bring pets like Forst’s friendly golden retriever, Cricket, to the facility. At the outpatient Round Barn Cancer center, patients receive chemotherapy, immunotherapy and other treatments which can be tedious. For people who don't have family or friends to accompany them, they can also be rather lonely. 

"In this setting, sometimes just the sight of the dog brings people out of their shell." - Don Frost director of volunteer services for Providence Sonoma and Napa Counties

With the North Bay’s Paws for Healing canine-assisted therapy at their sides, patients see an always-happy face begging for love in the form of head rubs and ear scratches. In addition to Cricket, the current Paws for Healing-trained dogs include Pinocchio (a boxer), Kaya (a mutt) and Marcell (a poodle) — along with their owners, who also receive training in handling their pups in the hospital setting.

“Our dog Cricket will go from chair to chair, putting her head on everyone’s lap,” says Forst. “Once a patient starts petting and interacting with the dog, the ice is broken and people start talking about themselves or their own pets, families and lives. In this setting, sometimes just the sight of the dog brings people out of their shell. Getting unconditional love from the dog helps too.”

Patients aren’t the only ones who get pup love while they’re in the oncology center. The staff are acutely aware of their patients’ health struggles. Orsolini, who used to work as a f irst responder, knows well the high stress of caregivers, and how something as simple as encouraging a dog to wag its tail can brighten a tough day.

A Calming Companion 

Forst’s next-door neighbor, Michael Cusack, has been a patient at  the oncology center for the past three years — and Cricket is his favorite therapy dog. He shares, “The temperament of Cricket and the therapy dogs puts me and other patients at ease during otherwise high anxiety situations. You can see people relax as they interact with the dogs and it’s an incredibly healing experience.”

Providence is looking for more Paws for Healing dogs to add to the Sonoma County therapy dog team. 

To learn more and get involved, visit Paws for Healing at pawsforhealing.org/classes.htm.