‘Warm Furry Friends’ Brings Comfort to the Home and Worksplace

A growing pack of “celebrity” pups provide warm, courteous smiles, and uplifting engagement to patients of all ages throughout Strong Hospital as part of the Friends of Strong PETS Therapy Program—making them the perfect models for an adorable wall calendar to bring peace and comfort to the home or office.

This adorable 2019 calendar helps support our work to create a happier, more comfortable healing environment for patients and families throughout UR Medicine’s Strong Memorial Hospital.

Our PETS Therapy Program first began 19 years ago, with just one volunteer and her dedicated dog providing a relaxing and enriching experience for our patients. Today, it consists of more than a dozen certified PETS therapy dogs, together with their handlers, bringing comfort, joy and smiles to our patients, their families and our staff as they make their weekly visits with patients of all ages.

The program has been beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety, enhancing rehabilitation and so much more. Children are cheered up by their interactions with these friendly pups, and those near the end of their life’s journey are comforted and calmed.

“It’s about the comfort and emotion that’s triggered when a dog leans over to a child and rests its head on their lap,” says Wendy Lane, Child Life Coordinator and Specialist at Golisano Children’s Hospital, and one of the PETS program’s most passionate supporters. “The dogs bring such kindness and compassion when they visit our patients, creating a home-like feel that reminds those that have pets, the feeling of having their own pet with them. And for those that don’t have pets, it provides a new outlet in which to be comforted and relaxed—even for that short time.”

We are tirelessly committed to our mission and the PETS Therapy Program is just one of the many ways we seek to give back to the hospital and foster exceptional care for everyone.

This year, we were able to assist in funding such initiatives as providing infant safe-sleep swaddles for every baby born at Strong Memorial Hospital, as well as providing new wheelchairs for patients and guests, along with numerous other areas of need.

Stop in to the Friends of Strong Gift Shop to meet the pups and pick up your copy—available beginning Friday, Aug. 24 for an introductory Dog Days of Summer Sale: Buy One for $14.99 (sales tax included) and get the second for 50% off from Friday, Aug. 24 thru Monday, Aug. 27.

Meet these cuddly pups in front of the Friends of Strong Gift Shop:
Friday, Aug. 24 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 25 from Noon to 2 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 26 from Noon to 2 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Can’t make it to the store? Simply call the Gift Shop at (585) 275-2577 to order your calendar for delivery by mail. A shipping and handling fee applies to each calendar mailed to an offsite location.

Every day. Every year. Every purchase you make at the Friends of Strong Gift Shop helps support patient- and family-centered care initiatives here at Strong. Since 1975, Friends of Strong has given more than $17 million to departments and programs throughout UR Medicine's Strong Memorial Hospital.

 

Matt Ulakovic | 8/20/2018

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