Found comfort in a four-legged employee during her recovery
When Victoria Hamm was born prematurely at just 26 weeks, her team of doctors had prepared her mother, Kate, for the worst. They said she would never be able to crawl, run, or live a normal life.
While in the hospital, she contracted Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); a bacterial infection that ate away at her left hip. This left Vicoria with Limb Length Discrepancy, a condition in which her left leg is 3 ½ inches shorter than her right.
In 2016, Victoria underwent her first surgery to lengthen her left femur. She spent 10 weeks at Children’s Specialized Hospital working hard each and every day to stretch her legs and regain her strength. She had a lift put into her shoe to help reduce the discrepancy but after two years, she had decided it was time for a second limb lengthening surgery.
Following the surgery, physical therapy was especially challenging. Her thighs were tight so it was an incredibly painful experience. The pain mixed with her anxiety, sensory processing disorder, autism and ADHD diagnosis made the entire process that much more difficult for Victoria. That's when Burton came to the rescue. Burton, a 22-month-old golden retriever, is the very first full-time pediatric hospital facility dog in New Jersey.
For a child with developmental and behavioral issues, pet therapy was able to calm Victoria and help her relax during stressful periods throughout the day. Pet therapy has been He often joined Victoria in her physical therapy sessions. Burton laid next to her and accompanied her, cuddled with her, and distracted her from the pain during the physical therapy.
“Burton is a distraction for her, and while most people think distractions are a bad thing – for Victoria it’s the opposite. She performs better with distractions,” says Kate, amazed by the positive impact this dog has had on her daughter.
“Empirical and anecdotal evidence indicates that dogs can have a profoundly positive impact on patients and their families,” said Bonnie Altieri, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. “Dogs, like Burton, have been shown to increase physical and mental stimulation and motivation which helps to improve patient morale and outcomes.”
Now, at the age of 10, Victoria is defying the odds. She crawled, walked, and even ran despite her doctor’s prognosis. Victoria competes in the Special Olympics, plays basketball, soccer, and rides horses. As a huge Rutgers University fan, she hopes to one day be the knight that rides the horse through Rutgers Football games, while studying to be a veterinarian- a dream Burton helped her realized. Constantly staying strong and overcoming every obstacle thrown her way, she has proven that she won’t let anything get in the way of her from doing what she loves!