DENVER – MARCH 2024 – When a child is in the hospital, sometimes the love of a furry friend is just what they need. The PAWS for RMHC facility dog program is a unique partnership between Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation (RMCHF) and Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children (RMHC) that brings that joy to pediatric patients. The program uses specially trained facility dogs to provide comfort, companionship, and emotional support to children during medical procedures and hospital stays.
In May 2021, RMCHF introduced the first facility dog to the program, Posey. For the past three years, Posey has worked alongside RMHC’s team of Child Life Specialists to support children and families in their care. The Child Life team is dedicated to helping children cope with the challenges their illness, injury, or hospitalization present, and Posey has been an invaluable partner in helping them build fast rapport, increase compliance, and improve outcomes. Her presence brings joy, play, and comfort to pediatric patients and helps reduce stress and anxiety for both them and their families.
RMCHF and RMHC are thrilled to announce that they have expanded the program with the addition of a second facility dog, Lemon. Lemon graduated from the Canine Companions training program in February 2024 and, thanks to a generous grant from Shea’s Village Foundation, has now joined Posey at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children. Adding Lemon to the team will allow the Child Life Specialists to provide that special four-legged comfort to even more children in the hospital, improving their experience and bringing a little joy back to otherwise difficult moments.
“We are so excited to welcome Lemon to the PAWS for RMHC program, and so grateful to the Shea’s Village Foundation for providing the funding to make this happen,” says Cathy Sandoval, Executive Director of RMCHF.
“Having Posey on our team has allowed us to connect with our patients and their families in a way that really improves their experience and care here,” says Kara Hellums, one of the Child Life Specialists at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children. “We see how much she immediately calms patients and brings smiles to their faces, and we are so excited to provide even more of that comfort with the addition of Lemon to the team.”
For more information on PAWS for RMHC, or to support the program, visit rmchildren.org/paws.