Hi, My name is Annabelle and I'm a second grader at St. James School.  For my birthday I got my own puppy, Evey, and I'm going to train her to do the job all our family dogs do -- be a therapy dog at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.  She's already good at sit and she's so cuddly I think other kids will like to hold her and it will make them feel calmer, because I feel that way too sometimes when I hold her.  

My mom is in charge of the program that trains and brings therapy dogs to kids who are sick or hurt and need help.  I think it works because sometimes it's easier to be relaxed or happy or just regular you with a dog than with grown ups, especially in a hospital.  Our big dogs help at CHLA too.

Every year since I was in a stroller our family has participated in this hospital event called Walk and Play LA which benefits Children's Hospital Los Angeles.  We help my mom captain Team Paws for a Cause, the therapy dog team that raises money for the therapy dog program.  (Mom edit: because the program is entirely donor-funded, and raises its operating budget annually from scratch, this event is an important part of our annual fundraising strategy.)  This year is a big year, because it's the 25th anniversary of the Dog Therapy Program and the 125th birthday of the hospital, so our family is trying to raise $25,000 for the program.

This part is from my mom:  For 25 years, specially trained therapy dogs and their human handlers have helped children and families navigate some of the hardest moments of their lives with comfort, connection, distraction, motivation, and small moments of joy, respite, and normalcy.   At CHLA, therapy dogs support 41 clinical destinations and are integrated into clinical care to support treatment goals and procedure tolerance.  From the emergency department to the cancer unit, during physical therapy or dialysis, the incorporation of therapy dogs into care can help kids physically and emotionally.  The program sustains a roster of more than 100 therapy dog teams that collectively support roughly 125,000 individuals each year.  Our annual budget is raised every year from philanthropy like this - thousands of individual donations from supporters who understand the importance of helping a child fall asleep easier in an unfamiliar hospital room because a dog has snuggled them for a while, or the value of laughing while playing ball with a pup during physical therapy, or the value of having a dog to sit with a child who doesn't want to talk or answer any more questions or hear any more news, but just wants to feel connected to something real for a while.  A donation in any amount is tax-deductible.  

From Annabelle again: You can help by making a donation to support our team and the therapy dog program at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.  Or you can even sign up to join our team and fundraise and come to the walk on the Santa Monica Pier on June 6th.   Or you can convince your parents your cute friendly good dog should volunteer as a therapy dog with them (kids can't do it themselves) if they want.  Help us reach our goal of $25,000 for the 25th annivesary of this important program that's helped so many kids and their families.

Thank you!

Annabelle