We are The Christie magazine March 2025 Staff edition

Part of a wider therapeutic approach The visits have been organised by Thérèse Smith, one of our registered health play specialists, and funded by The Christie Charity. Thérèse and her colleagues use therapeutic play techniques to help children be as prepared as possible for their treatment. “Lilo has gone down a treat with everyone, families and staff alike,” she says. “There’s always great excitement around the centre before she comes, and it’s so lovely to see the children interacting with her. Some of them can be quite anxious about treatment and she helps to take their minds off it for a while. A lot of them will also have pets at home, so her visits bring a sense of normality and helps to create a positive association with being at the centre.”

Lilo, a black cocker spaniel, is a therapy dog. She’s been coming to the hospital every couple of weeks to visit children who are having proton beam therapy – a type of radiotherapy. Being diagnosed with cancer can be just as tough mentally as it is physically. Spending time with Lilo helps with the childrens’ physical, mental, and emotional health, bringing comfort and a sense of normality to what can be a difficult time for them and their families. Ellie-Mae, John and Zac's seal of approval 20-month-old Ellie-Mae Shirly (pictured above) had 33 daily sessions of proton beam therapy at The Christie. She met Lilo early on in her treatment journey.

“Of course, these sessions are just one of the things we do to help make their time at The Christie as positive as possible. We have a model CT scanner and a replica proton gantry machine to educate children during our play preparation sessions. We’re with them right from their first consultation, supporting their overall well-being and advocating for them throughout

“She was so excited when she saw Lilo.” says her dad, Adam. “She absolutely loves animals and spent a lot of time just petting her and playing with her. It gave her something to look forward to after treatment. My parents have a dog, so I think it’s helped her feel more comfortable coming in for treatment.”

Lilo has gone down a treat with everyone, families and staff alike. There’s always great excitement around the centre before she comes, and it’s so lovely to see the children interacting with her. Thérèse Smith

Like Ellie-Mae, three year old Zac Keyworth (pictured right), has a dog in the family. For him, taking Lilo for a little walk was a type of physiotherapy, as brain surgery had left him unable to speak or move without a walker. He met Lilo and another therapy dog, Luna, with his sister Elodie. “Both kids were so excited to meet her,” says their dad, Jake. “We took them to reception after Zac’s treatment and watched them arrive. Zac took Lilo for a walk, which really helped with his mobility. It was also good for Elodie as her aunt has a dog, so I think it reminded her of home. It was great to see them having fun with the dog while also knowing that it was helping them both in different ways.” John Lamb, aged 14, also really enjoyed meeting Lilo. “I was at The Christie for six weeks having proton beam therapy for a rare tumour that started in my spine, and it was nice to chat about something that wasn’t my treatment. I told the people who brought Lilo in about my cats at home and they showed me how to feed her treats and get her to do tricks. It made things feel a bit more normal,” he says.

their treatment. I am delighted that this project is making such an impact on patients’ wellbeing, and hopefully it will go from strength to strength,” she adds.

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