Inside Duke Medicine

Four-legged volunteers help DUH patients

By Bill Stagg and Erin Pratt

Kim Shea‘s eyes light up when Gus enters her room in Duke North. Her smile is huge. When Gus sits on her bed, she gives him a big hug.

Gus isn’t a spouse, a friend or a relative. He’s a skilled health professional of a distinctly effective, useful and unusual type - with four legs.

Instead of a white coat, he sports a golden one, along with a blue bandanna that says “Therapy Dogs Inc.” and an official Duke ID card (with photo) that says, “Gus Simpson, Oncology Services, Volunteer.” Volunteer Jillian Simpson is Gus’ handler.

Gus is part of the “Pets at Duke” program, which oncology recreation therapists and volunteers are expanding to all adult oncology patients in accordance with a former patient’s wish.

The former patient is Doug Irby. Kristy Everette, oncology recreation therapy coordinator, first met Doug while visiting him with Rusty, a therapy certified golden retriever.

Doug enjoyed the visit. His mother said it was first time he had smiled in weeks. Everette took a picture of Irby with the dog and he showed it off to everyone. His mother said she now cherishes the picture as a reminder of a happy time with her son.

Before passing away, Irby said he wanted to give back to others what the dogs had done for him. Irby’s friends rallied together to hold a golf tournament in his honor to fund the expansion of the “Pets at Duke” program. The group raised $2,500.

Now, the handler and dog teams are offering animal assisted therapy to the patients twice a week.

The technique has become increasingly popular in recent decades, and research confirms the benefits of animals - almost any animal—in lowering stress, helping some patients use less medication and often improving their chances for recovery.

But even as far back at the late 18^th century, England’s Society of Friends operated a retreat where mentally ill people cared for animals and worked in a garden as part of their therapy. A similar program in Belgium reportedly is far older, dating back to the 9^th century.

Sprawling across Kim’s lap with a nap clearly on his mind, Gus is oblivious to his impressive therapeutic lineage. But as she strokes his fur, Gus himself seems to smile a smile that is as knowing as it is subtle.