The news in Portuguese
No IPO do Porto, cães de terapia visitam pacientes com câncer para oferecer apoio emocional. Zazu, um Golden Retriever, e Heartie, um Border Collie, ajudam a aliviar a dor e melhorar o bem-estar . As visitas são organizadas pela Ânimas Associação e trazem alegria e tranquilidade para pacientes , suas famílias e profissionais de saúde.
Translation
At the IPO in Porto, therapy dogs visit cancer patients to offer emotional support. Zazu, a Golden Retriever, and Heartie, a Border Collie, help to alleviate pain and improve well-being. The visits are organised by Ânimas Association and bring joy and tranquillity to patients, their families, and health professionals.
Exercise: Text comprehension
Question 1: Who organizes the therapy dog visits at the Porto hospital?
The therapy dog visits are organized by Ânimas Associação.
Question 2: What is the purpose of the therapy dog visits?
The purpose is to offer emotional support, help alleviate pain, and improve the well-being of cancer patients.
Exercise: Vocabulary
Read the full story
▌04/12/2024
At the Portuguese Institute of Oncology (IPO) in Porto, patients receiving palliative care are now accompanied by two special visitors each week: therapy dogs Zazu and Heartie. Initiated by the Ânimas Association, this programme aims to ease the suffering of cancer patients, offering emotional support through the visits of these furry companions.
Zazu, a three-year-old Golden Retriever, and Heartie, a 22-month-old Border Collie, are part of a larger effort to provide meaningful emotional interactions between patients and animals. Accompanied by their trainers, Catarina Cascais and Abílio Leite, the dogs navigate the hospital corridors bringing comfort and joy to the individuals they encounter.
Catarina Cascais expressed that the primary goal of the programme is to create a more relaxed environment, working to improve the quality of life, reduce anxiety, and ease symptoms of depression. The dogs' presence aims to decrease feelings of loneliness and enhance interpersonal relationships among patients, healthcare professionals, and families.
Therapy Dogs Bring Comfort to Porto Cancer Patients (Illustration)
The psychological benefits observed from these interactions have been particularly noteworthy. According to Sónia Castro, head of the Psychology team at the IPO, the contact with the animals activates neural systems associated with tranquillity and pleasure, yielding visible emotional gains for patients and their families. She noted that these uplifting effects often extend well into the following days, giving patients something to look forward to each week.
Medical professionals, including Débora Filipe, coordinator of the activity, have also seen reductions in stress, insomnia, and pain among patients after interacting with the dogs. This interaction has given many patients, who face extended hospital stays, not only an immediate sense of joy but also a longer-term goal by eagerly awaiting the dogs' return.
Among those benefiting from these visits is Ermelinda Pereira, an oncology patient who eagerly interacts with Zazu. For Ermelinda, the presence of Zazu is a precious source of happiness, rekindling fond memories and allowing moments of reprieve from her illness.
The positive impact of this animal-assisted intervention extends beyond the patients themselves, influencing their families and the healthcare team. As recounted by Maria Oliveira, whose husband is a patient, the presence of Zazu and Heartie evokes a similar connection to their own pet, highlighting the deep spiritual bonds that form between humans and animals. Such experiences underscore the significance of this therapy, marking it as a beacon of hope and comfort within the confines of the hospital.
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