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Show r Hill Animals, said the program has by Mary Galbraith Hilltop Times staff Dillon walked through the Holt Elementary School cor- 0' ridors and headed toward Susan Colledges first grade class last week. Hes been one of the schools regular reading tutors for two years. Dillons popularity with the kids is evident as the class lights up when he enters the room. Perhaps his success can be credited to his gentle nature. He never seems to mind when kids miss a word or stumble on a phrase. Or maybe he relates to the kids because hes about the same size as the first graders he tutors that he lets scratch him behind the ears. Dillon, a terrier mix adopted from the Ogden City animal shelknow-hoto help kids and adults in ter, uses bow-wostressful situations relax and spend a carefree hour in his charge. Marian Evans, who works in the Commodities Directorate, has been a member of the Intermountain Therapy Animals group for four years along with the terrier. She and Dillon visit several facilities, including the school and a teen lock-u- p facility in Ogden. Some of those boys and girls are pretty streetwise but when the dogs come in, they revert back to being kids, said Evans. She realized how much Dillons visits meant two years ago during the NBA championships when kids turned off the Jazz game to play with the dogs. Senior Airman Jason Foster, whos assigned to the 75th Civil Engineering Group, accompanies Evans with his d German shepherd. Foster dog Dexter, a the heard about program through his animal trainer who noticed Dexter was easy to handle, gentle with strangers and had a generally lovable characteristic. Foster said both he and Dexter have enjoyed the experience and the German shepherd knows when its time to go to work. When I pull out the therapy bag, he gets a sense of where were going and what were going to do. He starts drooling because he knows hes going to get a whole bunch of treats, Foster said. On the nights I volunteer he has a regular meal from all the treats he gets from the kids. Foster said they spend about an hour and a half at the detention center. Kids make the most of the limited time they spend with Dillon and Dexter and the German shepherd has even picked up a few additional tricks one of the kids taught him to grab a treat from his mouth. Dexter also has the typical sit, shake, down repertoire of tricks, but Foster thinks crawling is his most unique talent. Brook Mercer, president of Intermountain Therapy w w - Six-year-o- ld agree the dogs help students relax and enjoy reading. " " " r 'If boomed since its Utah launch six years ago. There are currently 181 volunteer teams and the group is the second largest in the country, accounting for 1 1 percent of all the animal therapy conducted nationally. Intermountain Therapy Animals is primarily composed of dogs and handlers but there are ld Photos by Mary Galbraith Tiffany Degiorgio holds Dexter, one of the dogs that participates in R.E.A.D., or Reading Education Assistance Dogs. First grader Braxton Scholl gives Dexter a treat after a reading session. Teachers and animal handlers at volunteers help with animal-assiste- d three-year-ol- also a few cats, birds and a bunny. Local chapters span from Provo to Logan with additional members in Colorado and Califor- nia. Last year the not-for-pro- fit group volunteered more than 10,000 service hours. When we started we had to beg places to let us come, Mercer said. Wed show them it was safe and the dogs were clean. . Now we have people on a wait- much this to that point the mi how ing list to get our services. They realize helps the patients and the recovery time is faster on many a could speak. Cano longer felt comfort things. il-Anirr. Anyone cared aboi Mercer said they conduct two kinds of therapy. This dog broug Assisted Activity where animals play, sit and informally Animal-Assiste- d where Therapy interact with people and animals work with therapists, patients and a handler following a specific regimen to complete goals and document patient progress. Mercer said AAT can range from sc working with stroke patients to children dealing with hour a week, but psychological trauma. Many of the physical therapy them to be. There patients teams work with get a workout without know- animals can partic tyens and the elde jng ft v You just dont r X The ball. a throw Well bring in a dog and patients with all types o minute! are have to lean over to pick up the ball and after 40 of that theyll say well Ive got to go to therapy now and out to the prison w bring youll tell them they just did it. They love it because its They want tothe do! so much more fun, she said. Or 111 have someone whos so we bring in a wheelchair for the first time and needs their upper prisoners would b body strength enhanced. So well put a harness on a dog men covered in ta dogs theyre goin and have them hold onto a leash while the dog pulls them. i Sush-One new progra named lab is a teammate golden Mercer, whose Readii V.E.A.D. said their favorite place to visit is the Primary Childrens Residence Center, a home for children whove been mers and animals h abused and neglected. Most of the facilitys kids have an helping children er ing. She said child animal they work with consistently and consider their front of animals. animal. Susan Colledge Mercer You work with kids who dont trust adults, ' J iiS'ce-A-Wl- sh hospital. Sergios grandma Margarita Diaz, aunt son Christoh and her Denise pher all flew in from Florida to surprise Sergio and be here for the shopping trip. Sergios cancer was diagnosed in late July 1999, shortly after he arrived on base. Two months earlier, the family was packing household goods in Germany preparing for a transfer to Hill. The weekend offnrfnAufin- ished, Davids father died. They came back to the states to spend time with family for a few weeks before returning to Germany to V outprocess. The family then flew to Florida to pick up their vehicle so they could drive to Utah. During the commotion David and Diane could see something wasnt quite right with their Thats when I noticed his bruising wasnt going away and his toes would peel in the swimming pool. His skin was really sensitive on his feet and his toes were bleeding. Now we look back and can see the cancer signs but at that point you just dont think about it, Diaz-Smit- Sergio Rodriguez walked out of the Hill Field Elementary School doors on Monday in a base- ball cap that covers hair just growing back (again) after another round of chemotherapy. The fifth grader with chronic leukemia was soon running full Ten-year-o- ld steam toward a limousine parked in front of the school and cheering classmates. Foundation volunteers arrived along with dad, Staff Sgt. David Rodriguez, and mom, Diane, to deliver a $1,750 shopping spree. Classmates Make-A-Wis- h surprised Sergio with balloons and a congratulation poster. Sergio knew his wish was going to be granted, but the long black limo and impromptu class party were both a sur- prise. I think hell remember this day for the rest of his life knowing theres so many people out there that care, David said. The limousine escorted Sergio and his i' five-week-o- ld 1 Diane said, noting even Sergios small scratches bled profusely. The family arrived at Hill at about 2 a.m. on a Sunday. The following day David inprocessed and the family made aTuesday appointment and for Sergio. Testing exposed the cancer . family in style as they hit the Base Exchange, Toys R Us, the Olive Garden, Sergio Rodriguez and Sams Club. Diane said Sergio had a prepared list, but once he started shopping he was too excited to completely stick Sergio was immediately rushed to Primary Children s Medical Center in Salt Lake City, where he had several t0 it David is proud the generosity Sergio displayed during blood and platelet (a blood clotting agent) transfusions, his shopping spree. About a third of his purchases were Physicians told the family a simple nosebleed could have for others. Hes not a selfish kid. He bought things for put Sergio in critical condition. Now in addition to coping with the loss of afamily mem- friends and his sister. Its nice to see akid at 10 not be self-ber and a move to a new location, the Rodriguez family ish Sergio said purchasing toys for other people, especially was dealing with cancer. Sergio soon had a chest tube inserted that s used to eas sister Pricilla, was a way to payback fam- his 1 without repeated prodding ily members and friends who spent time with him at the pense medicine intravenously Wal-Ma- rt 9 . 5 Base Exchange, where Sergio Rodriguez, above stops on his shopping spree at the was the recipient of with his at classmates, shown CD right player. Sergio, portable Foundation. He has chronic leukemia and has spent over a year in treatment sh Sergios aware t and poking. The tube runs.inside a main artery that leads and knows theres an 81 to his heart It requires daily care to prevent infection blood clotting. Its disinfected twice a week and flushed learned a lot Dav V Shortly after his daily. Hes had the tube about 14 months. Hes also requir to take oral medication and has had several chemotiier- childhood cancer f apy sessions. Sergio is currently in remission, which means no cancer is detectable in his blood. Diane said that doesnt mean its not there, because cancer can sometimes hide inthe body, but its a positive sign. Sergio will continue treatments until October 2002. The following five years w ll be critical. Sergios risk of developing another cance. peaks during those years. Diane said leukemia is the most common cancer among children, but luckily it also has the highest cure rate. began researching It was through Q Make-A-Wis- Fouj h thought children w minally ill, but the chronically ill chile The Make-A-W- is from a child, paren the child. To be ell have a life-threat- ei |