Hexham Hospital cat given PDSA award for cheering patients up

A much-loved cat at a Northumberland hospital has been given an award for his service to patients.

Yang, who is 13, has been providing cuddles and chats to patients at Hexham General Hospital for about four years and has now been handed a commendation from the PDSA.

Originally, he had been nominated for the PDSA Order of Merit - the animal equivalent of the OBE - by Alison Galilan from Haydon Bridge, after he provided her with comfort following her mother's death from pancreatic cancer.

Yang would have been the first cat to receive the honour and while he missed out on the top award, his owner Glynis Bell says the commendation is a fitting tribute to the impact he has had on those he has helped.

She said: "I think the commendation towards the community is the correct award for him. Because that's what he does, he's there for the community. I think getting the top award would have been nice but at the end of the day, the commendation is just as good for him.

"And I think people are just as happy to know he's being recognised. And it would never have happened without Alison, who nominated him!"

The PDSA Commendation aims to celebrate the "unparalleled devotion and enrichment" that animals can bring to people's lives/

Rebecca Buckingham, of the PDSA, said: "We are delighted to have been able to honour the exceptional work that Yang has carried out in support of his local community, offering a ray of sunshine in the darkest of hours for many people.

"Yang has provided much-needed comfort to patients, visitors, and employees at Hexham General Hospital almost every day for five years and his efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic were greatly appreciated by those he met."

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