Man and therapy dog revisit hospital to offer hope to other patients

By George Somper via SWNS

A man who credits his dog with helping him tackle a rare condition has gone back with his pet to the same wards he stayed on - to offer others "hope."

Nigel Avery, 57, spent more than 100 days in hospital after he developed an autoimmune condition called Guillian-Barre syndrome (GBS).

He needed weeks of intensive therapy on a specialist ward to relearn how to sit, stand, talk and walk.

Staff at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital (K&C) helped arrange for his dog Martha to visit - which produced immediate positive effects.

Nigel said: “Martha’s visits gave me a little bit of light in moments of extreme darkness and I hope we can offer the same to other people."

Martha gave him such a boost that two years on the pair have completed therapy dog training and are back on the same wards where Nigel was treated, visiting for a few hours each week.

Nigel who took flexible retirement from his role as business manager at a primary school, and now works their part time said: “My aim was to come back and give something back to the place that helped me so much.

“The care I received was absolutely awesome and I can never repay the debt of gratitude I have to them.

“Animals can offer something medicine cannot; they can help put a smile on someone’s face.

“I hope I can also bring some hope and show people that there is a life waiting for them outside hospital.”

Medics believe Nigel’s condition was triggered by Covid, and it initially started with weakness in his legs.

After he collapsed at home, his wife called 111 and the couple were advised to go to the emergency department at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.

Tests confirmed it was GBS - a rare condition in which a person's immune system attacks the peripheral nerves.

Nigel, who lives in Ash, was then transferred to the critical care unit at K&C.

He said: “I remember being in the ambulance to Canterbury but then nothing after that. I was intubated and hooked up to all sorts of machines as they did their best to treat the condition and save my life.

“My family were told I might not make it because the treatment wasn’t working, but they tried a second cycle and then I started to respond.”

Martha visited the hospital four times, and staff wheeled Nigel’s bed – complete with life-saving equipment such as a ventilator – outside to allow them to spend time together.

He said: “I don’t remember the first visit but the staff said it was clear it was having an impact.

“I couldn’t move at first but they put treats in between my fingers for her and each visit really gave me motivation to get better so I could get home to my wife and to Martha.

“It wouldn’t have been possible without the awesome staff. They are so incredibly busy but found time to wheel me outside so she could visit.”

Nigel was inspired to enroll Martha in therapy dog training after spending time recovering on the specialist neurorehabilitation ward, where many of his fellow patients were stroke survivors.

He said: “Being there made me realize how lucky I was. I was getting better, although it was a very slow process, but for some of the others who had suffered a stroke, it was much more difficult.

“When I came home I saw some videos of stroke survivors in hospital who were visited by a therapy dog and it was clear the impact it had on them, so I thought it was something we could do.

Yvonne Mercer, clinical skills facilitator for critical care, said: “It was clear he missed Martha when he was in hospital, and his wife told us she was really missing him too, so we thought a visit would help them both.

“We often see real benefits when a patient’s dog is able to visit; for their owner but also for the other patients, so we’re delighted to welcome Martha back as a therapy dog.”