Summer Stevenson helped through PTSD by therapy dog Bonnie
After a horrific crash left her in hospital for two weeks, one girl recalls how she got through her darkest moments.
Mental Health
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After a horrific crash left her in hospital for two weeks, one Sunshine Coast girl recalls how having her therapy dog helped her through her darkest moments in recovery.
Four months ago, Summer Stevenson was driving with her partner in Tin Can Bay when a car hit them, trapping her inside her car.
The accident saw the 18-year-old flown to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital with a complex concussion, torn pancreas and perforated bowel, prompting a five-hour emergency surgery.
It left Ms Stevenson in the hospital for 15 days, a challenge for the young adult who had just graduated from high school.
“On the ninth day, I was sort of just struggling with everything, having extreme flashbacks, nightmares, struggling with the PTSD from the crash,” she explained.
It was a visit from Wishlist therapy dog Bonnie that changed everything for Ms Stevenson.
“I was really missing my dog at home, and my mum said to one of the cleaners that day that I just wanted to see my dog. And then the cleaners organised a surprise for me, which was Bonnie,” she explained.
“I was on my way up from the cafeteria, walking back to my room, and I saw Bonnie. But the concussion I had made my speech really slow down, I was in a childish sort of state, and so I just yelled out, ‘Oh my God, look at that puppy’.
“That was when I found out she was for me. I was having a really bad day that day, I was in tears for most of it, and I just really wanted to go home. So Bonnie just made my day so much better.”
Ms Stevenson said she could not stress enough how beneficial having Bonnie with her was during her hospital stay.
“The thing with therapy dogs is they’re so universal to everyone. It doesn’t just benefit the young kids or the teenagers like me. They’re good for the older patients as well,” she said.
Since launching in July last year, the Wishlist Therapy Dog program quickly took off, boasting 10 therapy dog teams that visit 13 units Caloundra Hospital, Nambour Hospital, Maleny Hospital, and Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
Wishlist CEO Brendan Hogan said research shows therapy animals not only improve mental health and reduce stress but also lead to better patient outcomes.
“For patients, families, and even healthcare staff, the 90-minute visits by therapy dogs provide
beautiful moments of relief, laughter and connection amid the challenges of hospital stays,” Mr Hogan said.
The program has now received a $50,000 donation from Petstock Foundation, aimed at expanding the initiative and allowing therapy dogs like Bonnie to continue brightening the days of patients undergoing a health crisis.
“What Wishlist and Petstock are doing at the moment with the therapy dogs is such a special, magical thing. Especially when it comes to people who have gone through traumatic events,” Ms Stevenson said.
“It really makes it a whole lot better when you are in the hospital, it makes you feel like you are at home.”
Originally published as Summer Stevenson helped through PTSD by therapy dog Bonnie
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