An adorable recruit for ERH Volunteers

Edmundston, September 1, 2016 – Starting September 14, Molly,a 3-year-old Boston terrier, will be roaming the halls of the Long-Term Care Unit, Surgical Unit 2, and Psychiatry Unit of the Edmundston Regional Hospital (ERH) with its master, Isabelle Sirois, to bring a little comfort to patients.

Visits will take place regularly at different times and upon request. The staff will be informed of visits in advance.

This new service will be offered as part of the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program. The service is provided by volunteers and animals that meet a set of criteria.

In the region, a few volunteers are accredited by the St. John Ambulance, but only Isabelle Sirois and Molly have enrolled as volunteers at the ERH.

“We are pleased to have this new service in Edmundston,” said Carole Martin, Coordinator of Volunteers and Spiritual and Religious Care in the Northwest Zone. “Molly’s visits will brighten up the day of patients.”

It is a first in northwestern New Brunswick. The St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program has been in place since 1992 and it has been offered in the Moncton area for the past few years.