In the 1800s, Florence Nightingale wrote that a pet "is often an excellent companion for the sick, for long, chronic cases especially." Today, researchers and medical professionals agree that animals have a valuable role to play in comforting humans in times of stress or serious illness.

Living with a severely disabling or life-threatening disease like mesothelioma is one of the most difficult life changes most people will ever face. And for family and friends who love and care for such patients--or who are left to mourn their passing--the adjustment can be just as difficult. In many cases, physical contact with an animal can help patients and their families relax, focus on the present and verbalize painful feelings.

Often, however, chronically or terminally ill patients must let go of their pets because they are unable to care for them any longer. And although friends may mean well in recommending that a grieving person get a pet as a companion, they may also be misguided. Grief is personal, and the responsibility of caring for a pet may be too much for the bereaved to manage--financially, emotionally or physically. In cases such as these, animal-assisted therapy (AAT) can help to improve the quality of life for the sick and the grieving.

Animal-Assisted Therapy (ATT)

While most people are familiar with dogs that assist the blind, therapy animals offer a different kind of help. Some visit patients informally, to boost their spirits, while others work in a more structured environment with trained professionals and specific treatment goals. In both cases, AAT provides a means for the seriously ill and those who love them to enjoy the comfort that comes from the unconditional love of an animal.

AAT volunteers are people who bring their partner animals to seriously ill individuals in medical facilities or in their homes. Many of these volunteers relate countless stories of patients who have found peace in their suffering by touching and snuggling with an affectionate animal. And while reports of patient response to AAT are mostly anecdotal, a number of research studies have focused on the healthful benefits animals have to offer humans.

If you are suffering from a serious illness like mesothelioma, or if you are caring for someone who is, you may find comfort in animal-assisted therapy. To learn more and find therapy animal programs in your area, visit the Delta Society.

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Evidence of the healing benefits