When Jersey City resident, Richard Cortez was admitted to Christ Hospital for treatment earlier this month, the first concern he had was not for himself, but his service companion, Gigi. Gigi is a three and a half year-old Golden Retriever and has been a friend and aide to Richard since March of 2010.
Realizing this could be a concern for Richard, the staff of Christ Hospital took it upon themselves to take care of Gigi while Richard was convalescing from his surgery. “By taking care of Gigi, we are hoping that Richard will not have the added stress of worrying about who was going to take care of her and in turn, have his recovery go a lot smoother,” stated Eric Bermudez, Patient Advocate for Christ Hospital.
Needless to say, Gigi was the talk-of-the-town at the hospital. A very well-mannered and gentle-natured dog, she was seen greeting everyone she passed by in the hallways with a wag of her tail.
Mr. Cortez was greatly appreciative of the assistance he received from the staff in taking care of Gigi, “Gigi goes everywhere I go. She’s there to help me open doors, assists with my balance issues, and has become a large part of my life. She is not just a dog, but a true companion. It was a load off my mind to know that she was being well-cared for by the staff of Christ Hospital and it was comforting to have her stay with me during my recovery. It made things go a whole lot easier for me.”
“Gigi brightened the day for each of us,” cited Suzanne Knudsen, Director of Patient Information Services, “She is going to be sorely missed when she goes home.”
