Short Hills Woman Brings Joy to Terminally Ill Children

People might say Short Hills resident Judy Frankel’s job has gone to the dogs.

But if they look a bit closer, they would say Frankel’s occupation isn’t really a job, it’s an experience that brings comfort and love to patients at area hospitals.

Frankel is the owner of two pet therapy dogs and for the last 10 years has spent her time visiting patients at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center with her two golden retriever dogs, 8-year-old Nick and 3-year-old Gus. Frankel has made the visits for a total of 15 years, however.

During a recent visit to the Hospice Unit, Frankel brought along a photo album of the dogs playing on her Vermont farm because patients, especially children, enjoyed seeing the animals in a rural location that was unlike their own urban homes.

For the most part, Frankel’s visits bring joy and happiness to the patients she visits. Unfortunately, not all of her visits can do much to the terminally ill patients.

Frankel’s visits are not without emotion. During one particular visit, a young woman sat in a wheelchair and looked at the pictures while she pet one of the dogs. When Frankel returned the following week, however, she was saddened to learn the woman had died.

Her experience was brightened, however, when a family member came up to her and said, “She wanted you to know that her last week was beautiful because of the dog, and that she knows what heaven is going to be like now, from looking at the pictures of your farm.”

Frankel began her pet therapy activities at the hospice after she lost her 32-year-old son-in-law to cancer. Her love of dogs began when she was a child. Frankel’s mother was ill and Judy was given a German Shepard.

“I tell the children (at the hospice) that my dog was my best friend, my rock, and that I want to share that with them through my dogs,” she said.

On visits to the Hospice and Oncology units, the dogs are calm and gentle, sometimes lying in bed with an ailing patient for long periods of time.

“The dogs know exactly which unit they are going to and what is required of them on that unit,” Frankel said. “With one four-year-old child who was dying, Gus laid with her as quiet as a stuffed animal for hours.”

During their visits to the CCSI Unit, the dogs are petted, brushed, walked and given biscuits by the pediatric patients, who often ask Frankel if they can take the pets home.

The dogs do tricks, like carrying three tennis balls in the mouth at once. Young patients learn about the breed and these dogs are safe and can be trusted. It is also an opportunity to learn gentleness and how to love another creature.