Kelly Conway, a volunteer service coordinator at the trust and her therapy dog Ruby, were shortlisted and won the Animal award which is awarded to an animal that improves the life of an individual or a group of people, or a person or group of people working with animals to improve animal welfare.
The Make a Difference Awards are held annually across the BBC and are a chance to say thank you and recognise those who love to make life better for others.
Kelly has had Ruby, a cockapoo since Christmas 2022 and has helped bring awareness of therapy dogs within the trust. Ruby is now one of 28 therapy dogs at TEWV who spends hours each week bringing happiness and healing smiles to hospital patients.
Kelly said: “Ruby just lights up the room when she walks in, people’s faces are beaming, and everyone wants to come over for a stroke and a cuddle. She practically pulls me in the hospital when we reach the car park, she absolutely loves it.”
Kelly started her volunteering when she got approached by a person on one of the long-stay wards who said she would absolutely love a therapy dog on the ward. This spurred Kelly on to get Ruby registered as an official Pets as Therapy (PAT) dog.
As well as the patients, Ruby has also changed Kelly’s life. She continued: “I’ve got a disability, and she makes me go out and about, she’s amazing and she has her funny little quirks, and we always say as a family that we think she’s a human.”
As part of Kelly and Ruby’s nomination it was quoted that sometimes being admitted onto a ward, the days are long and hard and having Kelly and Ruby visit, really gives the patients something to look forward too. The whole atmosphere of the wards improves during their visits, and they make such a difference.
We would like to wish a massive congratulations to both Kelly and Ruby on their amazing win and hope to see them soon, continuing to put smiles across peoples faces.
