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therapy dog

Sponsor a therapy dog

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Spread a Smile’s therapy dogs are an integral part of our team of entertainers. They have a unique way of providing physical warmth and affection, distraction and fun. They offer support during stressful or painful medical procedures and can help with rehabilitation and physio exercises. They also help to bring happiness and familiarity for children who are missing their pets at home.

Spread a Smile currently has six amazing therapy dogs working with us, Buddy, Cobi, Harry, Scout, Smartie and Thomas, each bringing so much comfort to children they meet in hospital, plus to wider family members and staff.

 

“We’ve loved the therapy dog visits as we have a dog at home, so whenever Teddy saw one of the Spread a Smile dogs, his face would just light up. He loved stroking them, giving them treats and rolling the ball to them. It was wonderful to watch.”

By sponsoring a Spread a Smile therapy dog, you’ll be helping to ensure they can continue to be there during the most difficult times, providing support in hospital, at our family events and also through focussed initiatives in specialist areas. One example is our work with The Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals, one of UCLH’s specialist hospitals. The Paediatric Dentistry Unit sees complex patients for whom a typical dental visit in primary care would be difficult and since November 2022, we have been trialling the use of therapy dogs to provide support for patients to help reduce anxiety and stress.

Spread a Smile doesn’t receive any government funding and we rely completely on generous donors, companies, fundraisers and supporters to continue our work bringing joy and happiness to seriously ill children, young people and their families across the country.

Click here to meet each of our therapy dogs and find out more about sponsoring Buddy, Cobi, Harry, Scout, Smartie and Thomas, or email Rosie at rosie@spreadasmile.org to get the ball rolling. Together we can ensure our therapy dogs continue to be there for children in hospital during some of the most difficult times of their lives.

Meet Cara and new therapy Dog, Scout

 780 400 Susie
By:

We’re delighted to welcome Cara and Scout to the Spread a Smile team.

Scout is a 5-year-old female cockapoo and our newest recruit to our team of therapy dogs, making regular visits to children in hospital with owner, Cara. Cara told us a little bit more about Scout and her journey to becoming a therapy dog with Spread a Smile.

“Scout is very intelligent and lots of fun, but most importantly a friendly, calm dog. I think she makes a great therapy dog as she absolutely adores people and loves getting cuddles – she can never have too many! She’d make an absolutely terrible guard dog, though. 

“I’m a children’s writer and spend a lot of time visiting schools with Scout to read my stories. Scout has also been working as a registered ‘Pets as Therapy’ dog for 3 years, going into a local primary school to read with the children. A few people mentioned to me what an asset she would be as a hospital dog, so this is something I started considering. In addition, I am a mum of three girls, including one who was sadly stillborn, I feel a real affinity with parents who are going through very difficult times. When I read about Spread a Smile in a magazine, I realised it would be the perfect organisation for us to get involved with.”

“To become a therapy dog, Scout was assessed by Pets as Therapy in 2022 and she passed with flying colours. Since joining the Spread a Smile team, we’ve been in to visit children and young people in hospital, and it’s been a great first introduction to the charity and the important work they do. We met some children in the playroom first, and then went to individual beds on the ward. The children and their parents were really happy to see Scout and she brought a lot of smiles to their faces.

“Even though it was a very different to her usual surroundings, Scout was perfectly comfortable in hospital and took all the strange equipment, busy corridors and noises in her stride. It was lovely seeing the children visibly relax in her presence and enjoy a moment of calm between medical procedures. I think Scout is always so insistent on attention and love, that she brings people out of their present worries and gives them something else to focus on, even just for a short time. She particularly loved having her fur brushed.

“Just like on my school visits, we always take time to introduce ourselves and take things very gently. Scout seems to know which side of her personality to bring out depending on the child – so sometimes she gives excited with tail-waggy greetings, and at other times she simply curls up for a quiet pat. When encouraged, Scout loves showing off a few of her tricks (only ‘sit’, ‘paw’ and ‘lie down’ – but she performs them very diligently!) and being given her favourite treat – cubes of mature cheddar cheese – as a reward.

“I have been able to bring copies of my rhyming picture book, Finding Floss, along with me on hospital visits and hand them out to children, along with stickers. This ties in perfectly with Scout’s visits, as the book is about a loveable cockapoo. Storytelling is something I have always been passionate about and most of my stories contain a huge dollop of silliness and absurdity – I love seeing children get the giggles, especially when they’ve been feeling sad or worried. Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine. 

“I am hoping to do some book readings and story sessions with Spread a Smile in the future. I have more books due to come out – more silly animal capers – so would love to read these too. 

“I’d heard about therapy dogs in hospitals, but hadn’t, until recently, heard of Spread a Smile. What is immediately impressive, is the sheer amount of hard work and organisation that goes in to coordinating the visits, and the amount of people that help to make it happen. I have also enjoyed meeting other Spread a Smile entertainers on my visits – from magicians, to singers, to balloon artists. They are all so talented and I’ve loved seeing children, from tiny babies to teenagers, light up in their presence. Both Scout and I are really looking forward to what lies ahead on our journey with Spread a Smile.”

Please donate to help ensure we can continue to fund our therapy dog visits for children and young people in hospital. Thank you.

Goodbye Chocco, Hello Cobi

 780 400 Susie
By:

After five brilliant years as a Spread a Smile therapy dog, Chocco, the standard poodle is retiring.

Chocco began his role with the charity back in 2019, taking over from his owner Howard’s first therapy dog, Chilli. During this time, Chocco has been a superstar member of the Spread a Smile team, visiting young patients in hospital, meeting and greeting everyone and bringing some much-needed relief and respite from the typical “hospital day”.

Owner Howard said: “Chocco is the perfect therapy dog – chilled out and stoic – standing or sitting calmly whilst people stroke and cuddle him. His amazing hair is always a huge draw for patients, parents and hospital staff alike and he always receives lots of compliments about his flowing locks.

“Chocco loves any attention he receives and loves playing with balls. On some of our visits into hospital he would spend hours in one of the playrooms playing fetch with the children on the ward, not wanting to leave.”

“The most amazing thing about taking Chocco into hospital is the impact he has on those who see him. He is so striking, and his very presence would bring happiness and smiles to everyone he encountered.”

Now that Chocco has retired, his legacy will be carried on by Howard’s third therapy dog, Cobi – also a standard poodle.

“Cobi is three years old, has bright white eyes and black velvety hair, sporting a really cool rockstar hairstyle. Cobi loves walks, eating anything and play fighting with Chocco. He is also a ‘ball thief’ and will steal any ball he can lay his paws on.

“Cobi has recently passed his Pets as Therapy assessment and his assessment with Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and recently completed his first GOSH visit. Whilst Cobi is usually full of energy and excitement in every day life, when he is in the hospital, he becomes extremely calm and very relaxed. He sits down and lets everybody stroke him and say hello and is happy to perform his special trick of shaking hands with anyone who asks. Cobi is a big dog with a big personality but most importantly he already seems to be an expert in Spreading Smiles.”

Thank you, Howard, and Chocco for all you have done to help spread smiles and a big welcome to Cobi as he joins the Spread a Smile family.

UCLH

Partner Focus – UCLH

 780 400 Susie
By:

Spread a Smile has been supporting and working with UCLH (University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) for nearly 10 years through regular in person visits, online sessions, treat drops and much more.

The Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals, is one of UCLH’s specialist hospitals, with the Paediatric Dentistry Unit sees complex patients for whom a typical dental visit in primary care would be difficult. Since November 2022 in partnership with the hospital we have been trialing the use of therapy dogs to provide support for patients visiting the Unit to help reduce anxiety and stress.

We spoke to Paul Ashley, Professor/Honorary Consultant, Paediatric Dentistry about how this exciting new initiative is providing invaluable support for patients who would otherwise find a visit to the unit particularly challenging.

What was the reasoning behind involving Spread a Smile at the Paediatric Dentistry Unit?

“I was a committee member on the NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidance – ‘Babies, children and young people’s experience of healthcare’. It was clear from some of the focus group work carried out with children that therapy animals were really important to them. So, following this feedback, I decided to work with Spread a Smile to see how therapy dogs could help in our Unit.”

How does the initiative work practically?

UCLH - Patient with Thomas“The Spread a Smile team currently work with the families to help reduce stress and worry whilst they are waiting in the waiting room before a procedure. When the patient arrives, they are met by Thomas or Harry, one of the Spread a Smile’s Therapy Dogs, along with one of the Spread a Smile Entertainers. They stay with the patient in the waiting room, building up a rapport. They might sing or talk together and the therapy dog provides a soothing distraction for the child as they stroke their fur and pet them. It helps to calm the patient (and any family members) and reduce anxiety in the lead up to the procedure they are there for. “In the longer term we would like the Spread a Smile team to also then follow patients through into the treatment area to continue to support the child whilst any dental procedures are taking place.”

How have Spread a Smile helped to make a positive difference for patients?

“In general, the ‘vibe’ in the waiting room is lovely when we have the Spread a Smile team here. Everyone looks forward to their visits – staff as well as patients. They help provide a calmer, more fun environment which can only be of benefit to the patients and their families. The therapy dogs are a welcome distraction.”

Generally Spread a Smile supports our delivery of high-quality care for our patients, improving the experience for both patient and dentist.”

Please help us continue our vital work spreading smiles to children in hospital by donating today. Thank you. 

Thomas the Therapy Dog

Meet Thomas the Therapy Dog

 480 406 Susie
By:

Meet Thomas, one of our Therapy Dogs and his owner, Spread a Smile Visit Manager Olivia Leich.

Thomas is an 8-year-old miniature Australian Labradoodle – a breed known to be wonderfully calm companions. We spoke to Olivia about Thomas, how he became a Therapy Dog and the important role he plays during their hospital visits.

“Thomas is such a lovely dog – peaceful, calm and a real comfort. When a colleague suggested that Thomas might make a brilliant Therapy Dog for Spread a Smile, I thought it would be perfect for him.

Olivia and Thomas

He had an interview with a ‘Pets As Therapy’ Dog Assessor to check his suitability – things such as whether he jumped up at people, barked, was friendly and calm around children and how he reacted to sudden movements and loud noises. Needless to say he passed with flying colours and since February this year, he’s been joining me for three shifts a week visiting hospitals.

Thomas’ role is to bring happiness, spread smiles and distract away from the hardships of life in hospital. He is a natural, immediately putting people at ease. From the moment I clip on his Spread a Smile bandana, he is so excited to get going, waiting by the door for us to leave.

As soon as we enter the hospital Thomas takes his role very seriously and really enjoys visiting the children on the wards. Everyone has the opportunity to open his treat box and give him a treat, but first they have to ask him for a high five and a fist pump before he is rewarded. He never fails and always takes the treat as if it’s the first one he’s ever had!

Thomas is very caring and proud of what he does. He can sense if a child is really unwell and bed bound and needs him to be calm and still. He will let me gently place him on the bed close to them, where he will lie calmly so that the child can stroke him or brush his fur.

During a typical week, Thomas might meet between 10 – 30 patients across various paediatric wards ranging from intensive care to rehabilitation clinics, outpatients, A&E and long term stay wards.

Quite simply, Thomas is an integral part of the team, bringing another level of joy and this joy is felt not just by the patients but also by their families and staff on the wards. I couldn’t imagine doing my job without him. Seeing the happiness he brings to the wards is incredible. He brings a sense of calm, fun and love which is immeasurable.”