https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/news/therapy-dog-dash-cam/

Therapy Dog Dash Cam: See Christmas at GOSH through Bailey's eyes

23 Dec 2022, 10 a.m.

Take a tour of Great Ormond Street Hospital at Christmas through the eyes of one of its furriest volunteers.

Bailey, the Bernese Mountain dog, visits the hospital every week with her owner Liz to bring cheer to patients, their families and the staff. The pair are also sometimes requested to accompany children who are on the way to procedures, such as MRI scans, to provide a bit of moral support.

In GOSH's first-ever Therapy Dog Dash Cam, Bailey can be seen exploring the hospital’s Winter Woodland decorations and meeting therapy dog Lola, before being fussed over by staff and volunteering teams. She also visits the chaplaincy and The Disney Reef.

She goes on to meet Eli during a physio session. The five-year-old looks forward to seeing one of 19 therapy dogs on each visit to the hospital, but Bailey is her firm favourite.

Her mum Jody said: “Bailey just brings something different, she helps get Eli more involved. She loves animals, and so the dogs really help. She likes hunting down the therapy dogs, she knows their schedules.

If there’s a day where she doesn’t want to come, and we say we’ll see if it’s a day where Bailey is in she changes her mind immediately.

Jody, Eli's Mum
  • A photo of Liz and Bailey together, on the soft play area of the Disney Reef at GOSH. Bailey is a Bernese Mountain Dog. They are sat together on the floor, with Liz smiling at the camera. Liz wears her bright yellow GOSH volunteer jumper.

    Liz and Bailey the Bernese Mountain dog in the Disney Reef at Great Ormond Street Hospital

  • Bailey the GOSH Therapy Dog in the Disney Reef, laying down and smiling the camera.

    Bailey in the Disney Reef.

Liz and Bailey have been volunteering at GOSH together for the past year, and Liz hopes her Bernese puppy, Poppy, will also one day join the ranks of the therapy dogs team.

Liz said: “It’s a privilege. You take this big dog into a place where there are all these incredible things going on, and it’s just amazing to see the effect she has on people.

I find it quite emotional that she can bring a bit of happiness, not just to the patients but quite often the parents who want something to talk about that isn’t illness, it’s a diversion. Lots of them tell me about their own dogs and how they are missing them, some of them have been away from them for months.

Liz, Bailey's human and a GOSH Volunteer

“I’ve got the chance to volunteer at a place where you meet all these wonderful children, parents and staff, and my dog is the centre of attention, why wouldn’t you want to do that?

“It’s lovely that for a few minutes there’s a bit of a chance to make someone’s day.”

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