- Stephanie Norvell and Abbie during a visit to Chandler Regional Medical Center. — Photo courtesy Stephanie Norvell
Seven years ago, west Chandler resident Stephanie Norvell was stricken with Guillain Barre syndrome, a serious condition where the immune system goes haywire, attacking the nervous system.
Lying paralyzed in a hospital bed, Norvell said the bright spot of her days was when therapy dogs would come to visit her.
“I remember thinking, ‘God, this is what I’d like to do, besides going back to teaching. I’d like to have my own therapy dog and go visit people in the hospital and share her with others.’”
After intensive therapy and treatment that involved learning to walk again and re-figuring out touch and balance, Norvell said she is “90 to 95 percent better.”
She also got both of her wishes: Norvell is back to working as a special-education teacher at Kyrene de la Mirada Elementary School in Chandler, and she and her husband Bill are the proud human parents of Abbie, a 5-year-old goldendoodle that works as a therapy dog at Chandler Regional Medical Center.
Abbie is currently taking a break from her work and is getting a taste of the limelight; in May she auditioned for the role of Sandy in the musical “Annie,” which is being presented by Valley Youth Theatre through Sunday, June 26 at Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix.
“It’s a lot of work but I just love sharing her,” she said.
Norvell said she and Abbie both enjoyed the rehearsals but are also looking forward to visiting patients again one day soon. She said it was clear from the start that the young puppy they adopted had the right personality and temperament to be a therapy dog.
“She was our baby; we brought her home at eight weeks and I trained her myself and got her ready to be a therapy dog,” Norvell said, adding that Abbie is registered through the Delta Society, a therapy-animal organization.
Abbie worked as a therapy dog with Gabriel’s Angels, visiting abused and at-risk children. Then, three years ago, she began volunteering at Chandler Regional Medical Center, donning a nurse’s hat for a couple of hours at a time and visiting patients who, like Norvell, found visits from a therapy dog to be emotionally healing.
“The doctors started calling her their ‘four-legged nurse,’” Norvell said, laughing. “At Chandler Regional they just fell in love with her. She would do her tricks and then take a bow before leaving the room.”
Norvell said Abbie’s affinity for children has helped make her the ideal dog to play Sandy in “Annie.” But even more importantly, this personality trait has helped make her a beloved therapy dog that is making a difference in the lives of others.
“She’s wonderful. She just loves kids. It has been great watching how she has an effect on the patients, especially when they don’t get too many visitors.”
