Therapy dog marks five years of love and cuddles at Derian House Children's Hospice in Chorley

Shuna celebrates five years of providing therapy at Derian House Credit: Derian House Children's Hospice

A therapy dog is marking five years of helping children and young people at Derian House Children’s Hospice in Chorley.

The 11-year-old German shorthaired pointer visit the hospice weekly and also regularly attends Derian House events and fundraising.

She was recently presented with a special award after helping to add more than a thousand pounds to the hospices coffers by walking more than a 100 kilometres in February.

Studies show that having a therapy dog to stroke can reduce stress and have a calming effect on patients.

Shuna’s owners, retired teachers Linda and Phil Martlew of Wrightington, first registered Shuna as an official Pets as Therapy dog seven years ago.

Studies show that therapy dogs can have a calming effect Credit: Derian House Children's Hospice

Linda says, “Shuna loves coming to Derian House. She always gets a lot of cuddles and strokes and the children and young people love her.

"It’s so lovely because for just that moment, Shuna becomes their pet.

"She has a way about her that we call the ‘Shuna effect’. She’s very calming and the best part of it is when you see a child’s eyes light up when she enters a room.”

Phil adds, “People always say, ‘Oh Derian House must be a sad place’, but it’s the opposite! It’s an incredibly happy place.

"We love to visit with Shuna, especially when we see all the smiles that she brings.”

Derian House cares for more than 400 babies, children, young people and their families from across the North West.

Staff at Derian House have paid tribute to Shuna's contribution Credit: Derian House Children's Hospice

The hospice's visiting dogs are volunteers with the Pets as Therapy charity that provides therapeutic pet visits across the country.

And staff at Derian House are in no doubt of Shuna's contribution to the care offered there.

Frances Lees, Volunteer Services Coordinator at Derian House, says, “Thank you to Shuna and her owners for bringing five years’ worth of love and cuddles to Derian House’s families and staff – and I’m sure there are plenty more to come.

“At Derian House we welcome volunteers of all kinds. It will cost £6million to run services at Derian House this year, and so they play a vital role in what we do at Derian House and make an incredible difference to our families – we simply couldn’t do without them!”