Article updated: 5/4/2012 1:31 PM

Moving Picture: Dogs ease stress for hospital patients

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Katlyn Phillips, 5, of Yorkville visits with Cynthia Brooks and her therapy dog Greta Grace while staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Edward Hospital.

Mark Black | Staff Photographer

Derron Williams, 12, of Joliet gets a visit from Cynthia Brooks and her therapy dog Greta Grace while at Edward Hospital.

Mark Black | Staff Photographer

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Patient Larry Monno of Palatine gets a kiss from therapy dog Greta Grace at Edward Hospital.

Mark Black | Staff Photographer

Derron Williams, 12 of Joliet gets a visit from Cynthia Brooks and her therapy dog Greta Grace while at Edward Hospital.

Mark Black | Staff Photographer

Cynthia Brooks pulls her dog Greta Grace in a wheeled cart to visit patients at Edward Hospital as part of the hospital's Animal Assisted Therapy program.

Mark Black | Staff Photographer

About this Article

Napervilles Cynthia Brooks was looking for a way to give back to her community in late 2001. She found that opportunity with the newly formed Animal Assisted Therapy program at Edward Hospital. Brooks and her Yorkshire terrier Libby were accepted into the program, and after some training were ready to begin helping patients in the summer of 2002.