HER NAME IS
CALLIE By Jennifer Looney Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Survivor Photos by Cindy Bedford Feeling like you’re at the end of your rope? We’ve all been there at some point. When fatigue and exhaustion rob us of strength and endurance during treatment, this common phrase marches through the minds of many a cancer patient. Fortunately, Cindy Bedford and her beloved golden retriever, Callie, are on a mission to provide comfort at the end of that rope. First a care-giver for her late husband, now an advocate for cancer patients, Cindy shares her special gifts regularly as an American Cancer Society volunteer. This darling woman from Dallas, Texas is paying it forward by providing patients and staff with heartwarming visits from Callie, the therapy dog. My first encounter with this blonde dynamic duo was after a routine appointment at UT Southwestern Radiation Oncology. I heard others shout from across the valet parking area, “Is that Callie? Look, it’s Callie!”. The stress of my recent doctor visit vanished, as I found myself crouched down, face to face
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with beautiful brown eyes staring deep into my soul. She was outfitted in a rainbow costume and sunshine headdress. Colorful Callie erased my scanxiety immediately. It’s as if she delivered exactly what I needed with the silent comfort only a loving dog could provide. As we continued to chat in the parking lot, Cindy told me something about her compassion for cancer patients that I will never forget. She proudly said, “I want to be part of the solution, not part of a problem.” Cindy Bedford is not simply a volunteer. She has master’s degrees in Behavioral Analysis and Autism Intervention Specialization. Her professional history provided the perfect techniques with which she taught Callie the skills to become an impactful certified therapy dog. As Cindy explained, “Callie took those basic skills and added her sweet disposition. She added the love.” Cindy has a servant’s heart, yet she credits Callie for having the “heart knowledge” and intuition to comfort patients.
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