The Healing Power of Four Paws
By Zoe Waters, Executive Director, Barwon Health Foundation.
Sometimes, four paws and a wagging tail can bring a welcome moment of comfort to someone’s day.
Recently, the Barwon Health Foundation was proud to fund therapy dog visits for patients at University Hospital Geelong and the McKellar Centre bringing companionship, joy and a welcome distraction to people during what can be some of the most difficult days.
For a patient who has spent days or weeks in hospital or a health facility, a visit from a therapy dog can transform an ordinary day. There is the immediate smile when they walk into the room, the opportunity to pat soft fur, and sometimes simply the comfort of having a gentle companion sit quietly alongside them.
These visits are about much more than putting smiles on faces.
Therapy dogs can help create a calm and comforting healthcare environment, providing patients with moments of connection and normality away from tests, treatments and the routines of clinical care. For patients who may be missing their own pets at home, the connection can be particularly meaningful.
At the McKellar Centre, where patients may spend extended periods receiving care, these visits can provide something to look forward to and a chance to connect in a completely different way. At University Hospital Geelong, they offer a moment of respite from what can otherwise be an overwhelming experience.
It is exactly the kind of initiative that demonstrates what philanthropy can make possible across our health service.
While major equipment, research and new facilities are incredibly important, philanthropy also allows us to support initiatives that bring comfort to people.
Many of these special initiatives are made possible because members of our community choose to leave a gift to the Barwon Health Foundation in their Will.
A legacy gift does not need to be enormous to have an impact. Gifts of all sizes, when brought together over time, allow us to support programs and initiatives that enhance the services that are provided.
Leaving a gift in your Will is also an opportunity to continue caring for your community long into the future.
The decision to donate to the Barwon Health Foundation could help, a program like therapy dog visits that bring joy and connection when it is needed most.
Most importantly, you get to decide what area your generosity will support – the therapy dog visits are just one example.
A legacy is not measured by the number of zeros attached to a gift.
It is measured in the difference it makes.
And sometimes, that difference can come with a wagging tail.
