Story Published:
Mar 19, 2010 at 12:25 PM CST
Story Updated:
Mar 18, 2010 at 7:31 PM CST
A dog walking the halls of a hospital?
It’s not a scene that you see very often but for the patients and staff at The Cancer Center at Cookeville Regional it’s a welcome one.
And make no mistake about it ....
...this small volunteer is making a big impact.
Evelyn Bartlet is coming to the Cancer Center for treatment of ovarian cancer and one part of her treatment that she doesn’t mind at all is her regular visits from Button, the pet therapy dog.
Ms. Bartlet, already a dog lover herself, says visiting with Button helps to break up the often long treatments and enjoys her time with Button.
She says, “This one is so sweet and has such a good personality”
Dr. Algis Sidrys is pleased to have pet therapy in the Cancer Center and says it’s helps patients in several ways
In general it makes people feel calmer and it has a nice psychological effect and breaks up the treatment and just lifts their spirits
MaryDell Sommers, a cancer survivor herself, is Button’s owner. She and Button already visit the Rehabilitation Center at Cookeville Regional and now they’ve expanded their services to the the Cancer Center.
Sommers says, "It’s such an opportunity for us to just get to know people here and get them to feel better about things. It’s a very, very special time for Button and I."
Button is a certified pet therapy dog but Marydell explains that some dogs just have the special something
MaryDell Sommers- “Quite honestly therapy dogs are dogs that God has given them the ability to meet a stranger and feel comfortable with that stranger and leave as one of their best friends.”
So if you’re ever at the Cancer Center don’t be surprised if you see these two roaming around.
