A dog owner who spent over 100 days in the hospital while paralyzed has returned to the same wards with his pet to offer hope to others. Nursing staff at Kent and Canterbury Hospital had permitted visits from Martha, the therapy dog, while her owner, Nigel Avery, was in intensive care.
Two years later, Avery and Martha have completed therapy dog training and now visit the hospital to bring comfort to other patients. Avery, who is 57 and from Ash, developed Guillain-Barre syndrome after a bout of COVID-19 and was placed in a coma to aid his recovery. His family was advised to prepare for the worst, but the visits from Martha provided him with a vital source of emotional support.
During his hospital stay, staff would place dog treats between Avery’s fingers and allow Martha to jump on his bed. “The nurses said ‘don’t worry if anything comes out, we can plug him back in,'” Avery recalled. Sarah Gotke, the physiotherapist who helped Avery outside for Martha’s visits, remembered, “The first time Martha jumped on to his bed, there were tears streaming down his face because he was so excited about seeing her.”
Avery noted, “It’s a good job she took the treats gently because I have all my fingers left.” Although he doesn’t recall Martha’s initial visit, Avery credits her presence with providing the motivation he needed to recover. During his recovery in the neurorehabilitation unit, he met stroke patients who inspired him to train Martha as a therapy dog.
Now fully trained, Avery and Martha visit Kent and Canterbury Hospital for a few hours each week. Ms. Gotke shared a touching moment, “Martha has seen a patient who is dog mad, and when I came in, she was crying. Now she is smiling. She said that she has had a paw on her bed and a wet nose on her hand, and it’s made a huge difference.”
Avery expressed his commitment to continuing the visits as long as Martha enjoys them, spreading joy and comfort to those in need.