Donna Deis
Donna Deis is a dedicated and valuable member of St. John Ambulance’s Therapy Dog Program. With her two miniature schnauzers Bo and Bella, Donna has volunteered her time and compassion to a variety of institutions and programs. For over two years she has brought her pups to spread joy and relief at the Magnolia Gardens senior care centre in Langley, where her visitations make a huge impact on the residents’ quality of life. She is also a frequent visitor of the Memorial Cottage mental health facility and a participant in the Paws for Stories reading program, where Bo and Bella help young children learn to read without feeling judgement.
Tanessa Allen, a Recreational Therapist from Memorial Cottage describes Donna’s visits as invaluable.
“We are blessed to have Bo and Bella visit us,” she says. “[They] enter the cottage and the whole atmosphere changes. People who would typically not attend programs wait for their arrival and are beaming with happiness when they see the volunteers have arrived.”
Residents have also shared their experience with Donna and the dogs, saying that they are “the highlight of [their] day,” and that they bring smiles to their faces when they’re feeling down.
The staff have shared that “animals have an undeniable therapeutic effect on people. When they are here, the atmosphere of the entire space changes in a good way. Residents and staff are smiling, gentle, have something to look forward to, and they improve everybody’s mood. Even thinking about them puts a smile on my face.”
The praise continues: “Donna and the puppies have got great smiles to share”; “Such a wonderful way to remind me of my doggies and how I miss them so much, they bring a lot of joy.”
“It is without saying that our volunteers are irreplaceable members of our team,” says Tanessa. “The therapeutic benefit this service has provided for our residents is immeasurable.”
As Donna describes her experience volunteering with those she visits, “words cannot express what [it] feels like to bring a few minutes of joy to their life.”
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Donna with her beloved Therapy Dog, Bo, and Jack (L), and Therapy Dog Bella (R)