An Adorable Addition to Your Home or Office – 2024 Pet Therapy Calendar Now Available
The seventh edition of our ever-pupular Pet Therapy Wall Calendar features 17 of the nearly two dozen pups who bring warmth and comfort to our patients, their families, and hospital staff each and every week.
The calendars, which support patient-and family-centered care initiatives throughout the hospital, are available at the Friends of Strong Gift Shop at Golisano Children's Hospital.
Each purchase of our Pet Therapy wall calendar helps support Friends of Strong in our work to create an ever more comfortable experience for patients and families throughout the hospital.
Beginning with just one volunteer and her dedicated dog, our pups have nuzzled their ways into the hearts of many by making weekly visits to comfort hospitalized patients of all ages and enriching the health care experience.
Twenty four years, 70 dogs and countless tail wags later, our ever-popular Pets Engaged in Therapeutic Socialization (PETS) program today consists of more than two dozen certified pet therapy dogs, together with their handlers, bringing joy and happiness to our patients, their families and our staff.
The program is beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety, enhancing rehabilitation, and so much more.
These popular pups provide a sense of comfort for ruff-ly 65 patients in any given week—easily more than 65,000 visits creating countless smiles among our patients and families throughout the years.
“It’s always such a delight to see our therapy pups when they come in for their weekly visits,” explains PETS Program Supervisor Susan Sullivan. “Patients, visitors, staff and kids of all ages just light up whenever they get to see and pet these wonderful and unconditionally friendly and furry volunteers.”
Our pet therapy program is just one of the many ways we at Friends of Strong seek to give back to the hospital and foster exceptional care for everyone.
From complimentary safe-sleep swaddles for every baby born at Strong, to Palliative Care Program funding, this past year we were able to provide financial assistance and ongoing support for many patient-centered initiatives and programs throughout the hospital.
Matt Ulakovic | 11/13/2023
