Originally posted in 2016

A dog walks into a hospital…

Waiting for the punchline?

It’s not that kind of story.

The dog’s name is Gus, and twice each week he walks into Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton and spreads joy. It sounds cliché to say it, but it’s true.

When physicians, nurses, housekeeping staff, patients, and visitors see Gus, they stop and smile. Some squeal and shower the seven-year-old Golden Retriever with hugs and kisses, and some fall to their knees with gratitude for the comfort that soft fur and a wet nose seem to provide.

“That’s what it’s all about,” explains Nancy Hammond, Gus’s person. “The stories I could tell of the people Gus has touched… he just lifts everyone’s spirit.”

Gus is a certified “Therapy Dog”; he even has a business card. Gus joined the Hammond family as a puppy to help round out a small “pack” of German Shepherds who needed a calmer-tempered dog to anchor to. “He was wonderful from the start, he calmed the pack, he was easy to train…,” Nancy explained. Nancy and Gus strengthened their bond during obedience trials they traveled to for fun. “One day, I saw that Gus just wasn’t having fun anymore,” she said. It wasn’t long after that when Nancy discovered Therapy Dog International. This large organization helps to validate the therapeutic nature of dogs through a certification process for those dogs who meet the criteria.

Gus was certified in December 2014 and has been visiting nursing homes, the library, and the hospital since it opened.

We followed Gus recently during one of his visits to the hospital.

During Gus’s rounds, his popularity was undeniable. “Gus is like a rock star around here,” said one staff member as they hurried by. Nurse Wanda on the second floor took time to stop and exclaim, “Oh Gus, we needed to see you! It’s been a tough day.” She and her counterpart, a nurse named Marjery, were a bit harried from the day’s challenges.

By the elevators, we met Dr. Mark Matthews. A cardiologist on his rounds, Dr. Matthews is a busy guy… but not too busy to stop and spend a few minutes with his furry pal.

Nancy told us that she often brings Gus to the hospital (unscheduled) on holidays. “It’s a tough place to be during the holidays. The staff is missing their families and the patients are stuck in the hospital,” she said. One holiday they ran into Dr. Matthews, who greeted Gus with relief and even sat right down on the floor to pet and play with him. “He said he needed a bit of Gus’s magic.”

We’ve written about the hospital before; we’ve shared about their LEED certification and the geothermal wells that help to heat and cool the building. We’ve told you about the artwork that was sourced from artists in the north Georgia area, about the donations from the Braselton family that made the serene chapel on the campus possible. The hospital is, no doubt, a tremendous asset to our community. Not only do we now have quality healthcare moments from our front doors, we also have the jobs provided by the entire campus and the surrounding medical offices. Recently, the hospital was even granted a “Storm Ready” accreditation from the National Weather Service. It’s the only commercial building in the entire state of Georgia with that designation.

The benefits are vast and hard to sum up… by and large, one of the greatest benefits to being at NGMC Braselton is Gus and Nancy. From the looks of delight to the audible sighs of contentment… cliché or not, Gus spreads waves of happiness with each wag of his tail.

There is something about a dog, happy to see you, welcoming you home when no one else pays attention. Man’s best friend and treasured companion in the “castle” we call home.