Northeast Regional Medical Center’s Therapy Dog Provides Support During the 2025 Missouri State Special Olympics Summer Games
6/9/2025
KIRKSVILLE, MO (June 9, 2025) - Northeast Regional Medical Center’s therapy dog, Luna, provided support to athletes during the Special Olympics Missouri State Summer Games, recently held in Kirksville. The Therapy Dog Program has been in place at NRMC since 2024. Therapy dogs can help reduce depression, anxiety, and stress for some patients. Luna attended Special Olympics Missouri to support athletes and encourage social interaction.
“Therapy dogs have been used during wellness events at Special Olympics competitions to provide emotional support and stress relief for the athletes on competition day,” states Maci Arnold, Health and Wellness Manager for Special Olympics Missouri. “We’ve seen countless moments where an athlete sits down with a dog and walks away smiling, more confident, and ready to perform — it's a small interaction that makes a big difference.”
“Many athletes enjoyed meeting Luna, from sitting with her and petting her to asking for pawshakes and high fives,” said Cassie Geisendorfer, NRMC employee and therapy dog handler. “It always makes my day when Luna is able to bring joy and comfort to others. I’m so thankful that we can provide this service to our patients and that we were able to also share Luna with the athletes.”
Luna is certified through Therapy Dogs International and adheres to strict policies regarding hospital and patient visits. Therapy dogs are not the same as service dogs, which are trained to perform a specific task for people with disabilities who need daily assistance. Service dogs undergo stringent training to focus on their handler’s needs and are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Therapy dogs are trained to interact with a variety of people and to provide comfort and support in public settings, such as schools and hospitals.
“We’ve seen great success with the Therapy Dog Program at NRMC, with both patients and employees benefitting,” states Geisendorfer.
NRMC hopes to expand the Therapy Dog Program in the future.
Cassie Geisendorfer with Luna the therapy dog at the Special Olympics Missouri State Summer Games in Kirksville.
Back