Cancer survivors Keith Jewett and dog Winna share joy with patients | Corewell Health

“Do you want a dog visit?” asks hospital volunteer Keith Jewett as his therapy dog, Winna, stands by with her tail wagging.

Few can resist.

After saying yes, Winna and Keith approach, and Winna gently places her head in the lap of a patient or visitor and gladly accepts the hugs.

And for a few precious moments, thoughts of Cancer fade as Winna’s soft eyes and soft fur bring joy to those she meets.

If the conversation follows, as it often does, Keith shares that Winna is also a cancer survivor and shows the scar where a mast cell tumor was removed from Winna’s side in the fall of 2020 when she was not. than a puppy.

Despite having the tumor removed, Winna’s prognosis was not good. But with Winna healthy a year later, Jewett made the decision to have her serve the others.

“When she passed her expiration date, that was a sign — she beat her cancer,” Jewett said. “I thought, ‘She needs to be a cancer therapy dog.'”

Winna, a spaniel mix, was trained and certified by the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. She and Jewett have been volunteering at Corewell Health’s Big Rapids and Reed City hospitals and the Susan P. Wheatlake Regional Cancer Center since May 2022.

A cancer survivor himself, Jewett also takes Winna with him when he visits the cancer center for his own treatment.

After spending time with patients and visitors, Jewett and Winna stop by to see team members, walk around and bring smiles. Winna and Patient Services Representative Shannon Carmichael are always happy to see each other.

“To the patients and to us team members, Winna is just a ray of sunshine who often seems to know when to make her rounds,” Carmichael said. “His affection can brighten even the darkest days.”

Jewett’s cancer journey began in the late 90s when he was diagnosed with two types of blood cancer. He began receiving care from visiting physicians in a trailer behind Reed City Hospital before the Susan P. Wheatlake Regional Cancer Center was built.

“I was here, before I was here,” he joked.

He was also diagnosed with choroidal melanoma, eye cancer in 2015 and prostate cancer in 2016. Jewett has a prosthetic right eye after having his eye removed in 2018.

Jewett is a retired professor at Ferris State University where he taught computer programming, networking, and electronics for 18 years.

He joined FSU after retiring from the Navy, where he served 20 years, partly on a nuclear submarine.

Jewett’s wife of 49 years, Mary, convinced him to get a dog in 2020. The couple live in Hawkins, Michigan, near Reed City.

“She was supposed to be my therapy dog,” he said of Winna.

Jewett gets emotional while describing the effect Winna has when interacting with patients.

“She has a wonderful temper,” he said. “I love seeing how people respond to him. It really impacts some people.

Winna spent time with cancer patient Wendy Montague, of Big Rapids, on Jan. 23 at the cancer center. Montague stroked Winna’s head and ears and chatted briefly with Jewett.

It was a short but sweet exchange. Sadly, three weeks later, Montague passed away.

Winna, now over 3 years old, shows no signs of slowing down. She and Jewett volunteer at hospitals and the cancer center two to three hours a week.

“Patients and staff love spending time with Keith and Winna,” said Suzie Hicks, Volunteer Services Coordinator. “Therapy dogs are always popular and Winna is so adorable – and of course Keith has a very interesting story.”

When asked why he decided to volunteer, Jewett was quick to credit Winna.

“I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t for her,” he said. “We are both cancer survivors.”