ALL>> The Sons of the American Legion raised $12,000 to help purchase Josh and Friends gift sets for patients at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (LLUCH). The Sons stopped by the hospital Tuesday, May 16 and presented a check to purchase the gift sets for the patients.
The Josh Dog program provides sick children ages five through eight with with a bit of comfort during their stay. The stuffed dog, which is accompanied by a book titled, “I’ll Be O.K.” by Randall L. Lange, DVM, is about a dog who becomes sick and eventually gets better. Parents read the book to their children and it inspires them to believe that they too can get better.
The Josh Dog goes everywhere with the child, including the operating room and is even given the same kind of surgery the child has, so as to allow them to heal together. “It’s a comfort to them because when mommy and daddy have to leave, parents can say, don’t worry. Josh will take care of you until we come back.”
John Mejia, the Sons of the American Legion Commander, and other group members are passionate about making a difference in their local community and at the children’s hospital.
“Over 1.2 million kids a year go through the doors at Loma Linda Hospital,” said Meija. “And on any given day, the majority of those beds are full.”
Sharon Riesen, MD, of LLUCH gave a brief history of the Sons, acknowledging that they’ve raised approximately $110,000 over the past 10 years to fund Josh and Friends gift sets.
These special gift sets include a doghouse, a book and the stuffed animal, which is designed to be able to remain with the child throughout their stay at the hospital and can even go with them to MRI scans.
Meija also spoke about his families personal experience with having a child in the hospital. “My little nephew had cancer,” said Meija. “And he was only four and half.
They were taking him in the crib and he was crying, and the men with the masks are taking him. He’s crying, my neice is crying. You can only imagine him thinking, who are these men, where am I going and why can’t mom and dad come with me? Josh takes that edge off.”
Riesen and LLUCH administrator, Scott Perryman, echoed his sentiments. “These dogs are much more than a stuffed animal, they serve as a therapeutic, comfort tool for the child,” said Riesen.
“The difference that these kits make to our smallest patients is evident and overwhelmingly powerful,” said Perryman.
The Josh Dog program has been a welcome gift to the hospital and to the patients. By purchasing the Josh and Friends gift set, Sons of American Legion is doing their part to make sure that the children staying at the Loma Linda Hospital not only have hope, but a friend as well.