Dogs are considered "a man's best friend," but they may also be helpful in the fight against cancer.
Sandy's not your typical dog.
"She makes people warm and makes people smile regardless of their situations," says John Buss.
She's three-years old and she's putting a smile on many faces at Michiana Hematology Oncology.
"When you see Sandy here and you touch her and feel her, it takes your mind off what you're really here for," says Buss.
John Buss found out he had cancer of the blood vessels in April.
"If you dwell on what you have you get more depressed and you don't heal as fast as you can. So if you can get past it and on to something positive like Sandy, then you feel better and I think you have a better chance of a cure."
Buss looks forward to visits from Sandy.
"Driving here we talked about how we saw Sandy the last time we were here. So it's a memory that goes on and on and on and that was a month ago," he said.
The rest of her team includes 11-year-old Romey Lee and Romey's mom, Annie Bell-Maron. They are a Registered Pet Partner Team, certified to provide pet therapy.
"We just say 'hi' and 'would you like a visitor?'" said Romey.
They have been visiting facilities three times a month for a year now.
Annie "I think we're very effective because they smile. And you can literally see that they aren't thinking about any of the treatments they're going through the minute we walk in the door."
The patients aren't the only ones seeing the impact.
"Having Sandy around is an absolute benefit to everyone in our office. It brings a smile to everyone's faces and makes them calmer and more relaxed," says oncology nurse practitioner Jennifer Ewing.
Whether two legs or four, this trio believes that a smile really is the best medicine.
If you or someone you know would like to be visited by a Pet Partner in Elkhart, head over to their website and fill out the form. For more information on their national program go to the Pet Partner's website.
