A THERAPY DOG TEAM BRIGHTENS THIS HOSPITAL’S HALLS

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Joan Pedley. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Joan Pedley and her three-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Ellie, are changing lives at Mount Sinai Morningside.

Together, Joan and Ellie are a certified pet therapy team, bringing smiles and comfort to the staff and patients of the New York City hospital. When Joan first brought Ellie home nearly three years ago, she was struck by the loving dog’s even-keeled nature. Recognizing that Ellie had a gift that could be put to good use, Joan signed them up to get certified through The Good Dog Foundation. It was then that their journey as a therapy team began.

Joan and Ellie’s dedication to helping others has proven to go extremely far. When they started volunteering at Mount Sinai Morningside, they primarily spent their volunteering time with overworked staff members. While they still spend a lot of time helping staff de-stress, working at events like Nurses Week, the Empathy Olympics and hospital health fairs, Joan and Ellie also dedicate a significant amount of time to visiting patients. They often start their frequent visits in the pediatric emergency department and then visit the rehabilitation unit. Last week, they met a young man in the cardiac intensive care unit who was unexpectedly spending his birthday in the hospital. Ellie sat on his bed, eventually lying down next to him for 20 or 30 minutes. That short period of peace brought a significant amount of comfort to the young man in a very stressful period. Whether it’s somebody getting an infusion in the oncology suite or a person who’s terrified to undergo a major surgery, Ellie’s presence provides a calming atmosphere for everyone in the room.

Joan believes that volunteer work reminds us that we all have something to offer, no matter how small that thing is. Her and Ellie’s journey as a team is a powerful reminder of just how influential volunteerism can be.

Tell us about your volunteer role with Mount Sinai Morningside.

Ellie and I volunteer as a certified pet therapy team. What that means is we’re volunteers, and together, we come to the hospital to visit patients and families. We visit a lot of hospital staff to provide comfort, emotional support and fun moments of joy. A lot of times, we start in the pediatric emergency department, where we tend to ease a lot of kids’ anxiety. There are a lot of parents who are very anxious, as well. Having a dog there to divert your attention is great. Then, we’ll go up to the longer-term rehabilitation floor for people who’ve been injured or are there for a longer period. We hang out and we talk to people. There are just a lot of times when we try to take people’s minds off their problems.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?

I’ve always believed in volunteering and in the healing power of animals. When I got Ellie, she was just so naturally gentle, and she has such a great temperament. I looked for ways that we could help others together. I found The Good Dog Foundation, and we became a certified pet therapy team. Once we graduated, I learned about the pet therapy program at Mount Sinai Morningside, and it just felt like a perfect fit. We applied and we were accepted, and it’s just been such a great experience.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

My goal in doing this is to continue to show up for the patients and the staff who need a lift, even if it’s just for a few minutes on a visit, even if we could stop by and spend five minutes with somebody. I know it makes a difference. I hope that our visits bring light to tough days and remind people that they’re not alone, and that’s why we continue to do this. Longer term, what I’d like to do is help expand the awareness of pet therapy programs and to inspire others to explore how their pets can help serve their communities, too.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

The most rewarding part of this work is helping people in stressful moments. I’ve seen so many times where Ellie’s made a huge difference. Ellie and I spend time with kids who are anywhere from 13 to 18 or 19 years old, and they’re being watched by a nurse because they’re there for a specific reason. They feel like everybody’s staring at them. I think the most important thing in times like these is that people realize that we’re there just for them. We’re not judging them; we’re not we’re not there to talk about why they’re there. We’re just there to help and to listen and to be friends. And I think that’s what we do best.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

Even the smallest acts of kindness can have a deep impact. Ellie’s a happy dog. I always say, when she smiles, she has a toothy grin. When I walk in with a dog that’s happy and wagging her tail and begging for treats, those types of things break through to people who are afraid or lonely. Also, the staff is exhausted. They’ve had bad days. We’ve come in when a nurse or a doctor has just intubated a patient. I sit back and I think we do make a difference. One person by one person, we can make a difference. The other thing this has taught me is that I have gained such a profound respect for the resilience of our patients and the unwavering compassion of all those healthcare workers. It’s day in, day out. Their jobs are hard. I’ve learned that we can make a difference just one day at a time, one patient at a time.

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?

My parents ingrained in us early that helping others strengthens the fabric of our community. If you help others, you create a stronger community. I think it’s important because it reminds us all that we have something to offer, no matter how small. Volunteering creates empathy. I think it fosters connection with other people. I get more than I give. I walk away with so much more than I’ve given. When we show up for each other, we can all rise together. Especially right now in the world, I think that it makes a difference to show that we care for one another.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

I think the easiest thing to do is to figure out what you’re passionate about. Ellie and I didn’t want to volunteer in the long-term senior center, because I work with children. I’m in education, so I like being around kids or in a short-term situation. You can look for your community volunteer resources, and there are so many. With the internet, it’s such an easy thing to do. Start at your workplace or your church. Ask a neighbor. If you’re open to different ideas, you can always find a place to start. Once you raise your hand to help, it gets easier to do it and reach out to more people.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

Making a difference for people doesn’t require a lot. I thought it had to be a great gesture, like you have to serve on a board or have money to donate. But making a difference doesn’t require those grand gestures. Sometimes it’s simply showing up with an open heart. In my case, I have a cute dog by my side. Everybody has something to bring, and everybody has the capacity to bring comfort, joy and hope to other people. You just have to take that first step. Everybody can help bring joy to somebody else’s life.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Joan? Find local volunteer opportunities.