Meet Posey and Lemon, the hospital dogs who are healing with warm hearts and cold noses.
When a child is in the hospital, sometimes a four-legged friend is exactly the comfort they need.
That’s the idea behind PAWS for RMC, our facility dog program at HCA HealthONE Rocky Mountain Children’s (RMC). The program launched in 2021 with the introduction of the first loveable yellow lab, Posey, thanks to an initial grant from Petsmart. After three years of incredible impact, a generous new grant from Shea’s Village Foundation allowed us to expand the program by adding a second, equally loveable lab, Lemon. Together, Posey and Lemon are helping provide much-needed support for thousands of children at the hospital.
Posey and Lemon provide opportunities for the Child Life Specialists to build fast rapport with patients. Building trusting relationships with patients increases compliance, improves outcomes, and decreases stress and anxiety for the patient and family.
The Child Life team and all the physicians at RMC aim to address the multitude of issues their patients go through while undergoing treatment. By building a strong foundation and becoming more approachable, families are more likely to express their feelings.
The ultimate outcome for a facility dog is an extension of this relationship. Patients look forward to seeing Child Life. They associate the team with play, laughter, non-medical personnel, and a safe person who will advocate for them. Illness often drives away some of the joy that children are known for, and Posey and Lemon bring it right back!
Having a soft, lovable, furry companion makes visits even more desirable and will help the team develop a relationship quickly with the patients and families.
Impact in Action
Both Posey and Lemon work with the HCA HealthONE Rocky Mountain Children’s Child Life team to make pediatric patients feel safe and loved. When Posey first joined the team, she made a huge difference for kids and their families by providing an extra blanket of support.
Posey and Lemon provide comfort to children in the hospital, but they do so much more than that.
If a child is in pain, anxious about a procedure, or is just having a hard time, Posey or Lemon is by their side. Some patients pet her, some cuddle with her, and some just enjoy the distraction of having her nearby.
Getting a shot or an IV can be scary for kids. But when Posey or Lemon can show them how it’s done, it becomes much easier. By demonstrating procedures, Posey and Lemon reduce fear and increase medication and treatment compliance.
Being in the hospital isn’t just hard on the patient—it’s hard on their entire family. The presence of a facility dog provides comfort and distraction for siblings, parents, caretakers, and other family members visiting the hospital.
By encouraging children to get up and move around, facility dogs help hospital staff facilitate patient recovery. There are even mailboxes throughout the hospital where patients can leave notes for Posey and Lemon, encouraging ambulation and other critical pieces of post-procedure recovery.
Trained with a Purpose
Posey and Lemon were trained at Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships.
Following nationally accepted best practices for Pet Therapy of service dogs, CCI dogs are expertly trained and partnered with a working professional in a health care, visitation, criminal justice, or education setting.
A legacy of love
PAWS for RMC began with the vision of Kylie, a courageous young woman and patient at Rocky Mountain Children’s. While pursuing her career in human resources, Kylie was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare pediatric cancer. After her cancer returned following remission, Kylie channeled her sadness into a greater purpose: leaving a legacy of love and gratitude.
Before her passing on December 12, 2019, Kylie expressed a heartfelt wish to bring a facility dog to RMC, hoping it would provide comfort, support, and unconditional love to children undergoing treatment. Her dream became a reality in 2021 with the arrival of Posey, the hospital’s first facility dog.
Two years later, Shea’s Village, a foundation created by the family of former RMC patient Shea, helped expand the program by funding a second dog, Lemon. After Shea’s passing, his family created Shea’s Village to honor his memory and provide support to other patients like him. When they learned about the PAWS program, they saw it as the perfect way to continue his legacy and celebrate his love of dogs.
Thanks to the generosity of Kylie’s loved ones, Shea’s Village, PetSmart Charities, and the community at large, Posey and Lemon are now bringing joy and comfort to children at RMC, carrying Kylie and Shea’s legacies forward and making a difference for hundreds of patients every year.
THE PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED BY OUR PARTNERS AT
Make a PAWS-itive difference!
Help Posey and Lemon continue their paw-sitive impact on children and their families! Your generosity will provide funds for direct animal care, pet supplies, and PAWS for RMC materials.