[Little Monkey]

News story about multiple myeloma patient & her horse

by Little Monkey on Fri Jan 22, 2016 12:26 am

The multiple myeloma patient in this story, Stephanie, got to say good bye to her horse at the hospital though the assistance of a local charity ("Zachery's Paws") and hospital administration. The story made the front page in Hamilton and the surrounding area of south-central Ontario. The hospital is about a 40 minute drive from my house.

"Woman dies hours after last visit with her beloved horse", The Hamilton Spectator, January 21, 2016 (link to article)

Excerpt:

Cancer patient Stephanie McManus died early Thursday, fewer than 24 hours after one last special visit at Juravinski Hospital with her horse Luna.

Dying cancer patient Stephanie McManus snuggled up to her horse Luna outside Juravinski Hospital Wednesday, greeted her softly with "Hey, my baby girl" and gave her a kiss on the muzzle one last time.

Luna stayed close, quietly gazing at McManus.

It all happened when Luna was brought to Juravinski from Milton for a visit with McManus early Wednesday morning.

The two met just outside the hospital's loading dock at the back of the building. And while there, McManus, 55, and Luna, a 10-year-old Tennessee walking horse, spent some tender moments together with McManus gently rubbing her horse's nose and giving her treats ...

McManus, a securities lawyer and president of her company, Compliance Support Services, was diagnosed in September 2013 with multiple myeloma, an aggressive form of blood cancer ...

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: News story about multiple myeloma patient & her horse

by Nancy Shamanna on Fri Jan 22, 2016 10:23 am

Thanks for sharing that story, Little Monkey! The bond between people and their pets such as dogs, cats and even horses is a special one. One cannot forget that multiple myeloma is still a dangerous disease, and that the survival rates are not uniformly good, even now, in our modern age of medicine.

[NStewart]

Re: News story about multiple myeloma patient & her horse

by NStewart on Sat Jan 23, 2016 5:00 pm

Some places value the pets and people who are important in our lives even if we are in the hospital. Such a wonderful example of a hospital that cared for their dying patient in the best way they could.
Nancy in Phila