Julie Halle and her fox-red Labrador retriever, Doc, have been making a paw-sitive impact at KHSC since becoming volunteers in 2018. The bark-tastic duo is providing comfort, care and snuggles to patients, families and staff with their therapy dog visits.
Credit
Matthew Manor
Feel-good alert!
This week’s dose of happiness is brought to you by a volunteering duo, who’ve been making a paw-sitive impact at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) for the last six years.
Meet Julie Halle and one of the goodest boys we know, Doc! Aww, look at that face… don’t you just want to boop him?!
Together, the fur-tastic team is paying it forward by bringing comfort, care and even a few cuddles to patients, families and staff with therapy dog visits.
“When my daughter suddenly became ill in 2012, there were several years of hospital visits and stays, some of them for extended periods of time,” explains Halle.
“The care we received at KHSC was outstanding, and the staff was remarkable! I was so thankful for their expertise, compassion and assistance. Not only was my daughter supported and cared for, but our family was too.
“During some hospital stays my daughter had visits with therapy dog teams. This brought her and our family some joy on days when she was struggling physically and emotionally.”
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Julie Halle and her handsome hound started volunteering in August 2018. Halle says she’s grateful to be part of the therapy dog visits program and hopes the duo have brightened at least one person’s day.
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Julie Halle and her handsome hound started volunteering in August 2018. Halle says she’s grateful to be part of the therapy dog visits program and hopes the duo have brightened at least one person’s day.
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Julie Halle and her handsome hound started volunteering in August 2018. Halle says she’s grateful to be part of the therapy dog visits program and hopes the duo have brightened at least one person’s day.
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Julie Halle and her handsome hound started volunteering in August 2018. Halle says she’s grateful to be part of the therapy dog visits program and hopes the duo have brightened at least one person’s day.
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Julie Halle and her handsome hound started volunteering in August 2018. Halle says she’s grateful to be part of the therapy dog visits program and hopes the duo have brightened at least one person’s day.
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Julie Halle and her handsome hound started volunteering in August 2018. Halle says she’s grateful to be part of the therapy dog visits program and hopes the duo have brightened at least one person’s day.
Inspired, Halle enrolled her fox-red Labrador retriever in the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog program.
They received their first certification in 2018, and less than a year later, Doc was certified as child friendly.
Since then, the pawesome pair has been making visits all over KHSC (he even has his own ID badge!), most recently with some of our cancer care programs, including the Pediatric Oncology clinic.
“Becoming volunteers with KHSC was a way to try to give back to the hospital community that had given so much to us. Doc has brought so much joy to our family, and volunteering has allowed me to share him with others and hopefully make them smile, feel a bit better or provide a few minutes of comfort during what might be a challenging time for them.
“Doc and I love our monthly visits to the Pediatric Oncology clinic. Everyone makes us feel welcomed and appreciated. We have a quiet space to visit with children receiving care, as well as family members. People often say seeing Doc ‘made their day’ or ‘was just what they needed.’”
Now 8-years-old, the gentle gentleman is retiring after hundreds of visits, countless snuggles and a few cat naps.
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Halle says volunteering has allowed her to give a little something back to KHSC after receiving such high-quality care and support when her daughter and family needed it.
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Halle says volunteering has allowed her to give a little something back to KHSC after receiving such high-quality care and support when her daughter and family needed it.
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Halle says volunteering has allowed her to give a little something back to KHSC after receiving such high-quality care and support when her daughter and family needed it.
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Halle says volunteering has allowed her to give a little something back to KHSC after receiving such high-quality care and support when her daughter and family needed it.
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Halle says volunteering has allowed her to give a little something back to KHSC after receiving such high-quality care and support when her daughter and family needed it.
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Halle says volunteering has allowed her to give a little something back to KHSC after receiving such high-quality care and support when her daughter and family needed it.
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Halle says volunteering has allowed her to give a little something back to KHSC after receiving such high-quality care and support when her daughter and family needed it.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to have the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s day. It’s also a wonderful feeling to have the opportunity to positively impact health care.
“I feel grateful for the opportunity to be part of the therapy dog visits program and hope we have brightened at least one person’s day.”
We can guarantee you, they did!
As Doc enjoys his well-deserved retirement, his and Halle’s legacy of spreading joy, comfort and wagging tails will continue to inspire others, and their impact will be felt for years to come.
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