A young leukemia patient recently received a special visit from two therapy dogs, and the sweet encounter was shared in an Instagram reel that has gone viral with nearly 10 million views.
In September, golden retrievers Emma and Ellie, both certified therapy dogs, went to see 5-year-old Amara at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., where she has been receiving treatment for leukemia since June.
In the video, Amara is seen sweetly interacting with Ellie, doing tricks with her and even showing off a puppet she made.
Amara's mom and stepmom, Trisha and Tayler, told "Good Morning America" Amara hasn't stopped talking about Ellie and Emma since that visit.
"It truly made her so happy. She tells everyone how sweet they were and how cool their tricks are," they said. "[Ellie and Emma] are so gentle and they truly brought so much light to her life. She was getting prepped for a procedure when they came in to see her, and they helped ease her fears so much."
Ellie and Emma are just two of the dogs that are part of Children's National's pet therapy program. Kevin Bubolz, Ellie and Emma's owner and the content creator behind Golden Retriever Life, said he and the golden retrievers do volunteer hospital visits on a weekly basis, giving patients time to meet and pet the therapy dogs, ask questions, and more.
"Pet therapy can have a tremendous impact on the well-being of others," Bubolz said.
For other families with children or loved ones in the hospital, Amara's moms said pet therapy can offer a positive respite.
"If you are a family that is going through a tough situation similar to ours, wondering how to bring joy to your child in a time of fear, helplessness, and sadness, therapy dogs are an absolute godsend," they said. "They know how to touch your hearts in a special way."
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