Jun 6, 2006 6:04 pm US/Eastern
Paw Prints Dogs Accompany Sick Kids At Children's
by Lisa Hughes
BOSTON (CBS4) ―
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The Paw Prints dogs are specially trained therapy dogs.
CBS
This Wednesday, CBS4 is teaming up with Children's Hospital Boston for a Day of Giving to help the hospital continue its life-saving mission. It's a full day fundraising event.
Imagine the loneliness and boredom a child faces during a long hospital stay. Now imagine a special visit that would change all that, and brighten the day of the sickest child. That's the goal of a unique program at Children's Hospital in Boston called Paw Prints.
On CBS4's visit to Children's Hospital, Lisa Hughes met a number of kids who have been in the hospital for a long time, but on this day, the tedium is broken by two furry friends.
Amos and Tucker have come to visit. The dogs are patient, above all, as the kids pet them and enjoy dog kisses.
Eleven-year-old Robert Maseda says, "sometimes you get bored sitting in a hospital bed watching TV all day." But playing with Amos makes him feel better.
Aimee Lyons runs the Paw Prints program at Children's Hospital, and says the program is more than just fun.
"It lights up their faces," says Lyons. "It gives them a distraction from the usual hospital routine. If they're having pain it seems to go away for a while."
The Paw Prints dogs are specially trained therapy dogs. Their owners volunteer their time to help the kids. Cancer patient, 6-year-old Cassidy Woods, spent 25 days at Children's. She's back for another 15, and is clearly delighted to spend time with one of the dogs. "This is the most fun we've had since we've been here," says her father, Dave. "It's definitely the happiest she's been."
Paw Prints is the kind of innovative program that Children's Hospital Boston offers patients.
Children's Hospital Boston does whatever it takes to help kids and save lives. You can support that effort this Wednesday, June 7. That's when the CBS4 Kids campaign is holding a special "Day of Giving" to benefit the hospital. Phone lines will be open all day to take your donations. You'll find the pledge line numbers on our home page all day Wednesday.
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