He hasn’t been in medicine for ten years and he doesn’t have a white coat, but in a few weeks he has become the mascot of the Institut Curie. The dog Snoopy, an English setter, was “hired” at the end of 2022 at this Parisian hospital specializing in cancer treatment. Job title: mediation dog. Objective: to relax patients in the waiting room or in the consultation, especially those who have difficulty communicating.
“We had to find a simple idea but one that could bring a bit of sweetness, humanity to the hospital,” explains Maxime Cheron, lead nurse in the Curie Institute’s wound and healing unit, who came to the BFMTV set to introduce Snoopy. .
“It is true that I stress less, the care is easier, I am more relaxed and the tension goes down”, says Denise, a patient. “Snoopy happens, he doesn’t care about cancer! It’s not his problem: he completely gets rid of the disease, it’s a bit magical because it’s hard for patients to be here,” rejoices Isabelle Fromantin, research nurse at the Institut Curie. .
a first
This is the first time in France that a hospital has recruited a dog, full-time, in a care unit. This two-year-old English setter was adopted at the Pornic SPA last December… and was chosen with very specific criteria.
“We wanted a medium-sized dog that wasn’t too impressive, with floppy ears for the ‘calming’ side, and was sociable, able to interact with patients of any age,” explains Marguerite Nicodème, an advanced practice nurse. .
“For basic hygiene and safety reasons, the dog will never be taken to treatment rooms, preparation rooms or spaces that accommodate septic or aplastic patients,” specifies the Institut Curie website, whose director Steven Le Gouill says he has great confidence in this. arrival.
“For our health teams, this is one of the levers to lighten the weight of the days and the emotional load”, he emphasizes.
Snoopy, his four legs, his runny nose and his drooping ears will therefore continue to roam the corridors of the hospital in the coming weeks. Therefore, he brings competition to… Peyo! A horse visiting patients in pediatric or geriatric wards in Calais.
Source: BFM TV
