It’s a challenging journey filled with incomprehensible medical terminology, chemotherapy treatments, surgeries. It’s easy for the professionals to lose sight of the fact that within the myriad of test results, at its center, there lies a very frightened, bewildered human being. Someone who has been suddenly catapulted into a macabre nightmare of horrific proportions, rendering both patient and family members paralyzed by fear and unable to function. They need the embrace of a gentle presence enabling a powerful healing of the spirit to take place. Enter Balu.
Who is Balu?
Balu joined the Ezer Mizion Pet Therapy Center as a tiny Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, who has spent the past year training as a therapy dog. Balu came to fill the ‘pawprints’ left by Nana, the beloved gentle giant dog who spent fourteen devoted years accompanying hundreds of children and adults through their cancer journeys.
Today, Balu has grown – and so has his gentle spirit. Despite his impressive size, he is remarkably tender, often sitting patiently beside children who are much smaller than he is. Young patients delight in caring for him, brushing his soft fur, practicing the tricks he has learned, or simply curling up beside him for comfort. In these moments, something profound happens: the effect of the hospital atmosphere and difficult treatments soften, fear recedes, joy and confidence quietly return.
Animal-facilitated therapy offers far more than a pleasant distraction. For children and adults grappling with serious illness. It provides emotional release, reduces stress and anxiety, and restores a sense of control and connection. Families, too, find solace in these interactions, watching their loved ones smile, laugh, and engage in ways that illness often makes difficult.
Diagnosed with a brain tumor at just five years old, Sagiv was given a devastating prognosis. He was not expected to reach his sixth birthday. Yet Sagiv’s journey has been one of resilience and hope. Now ten years old, he continues to receive treatment and continues to visit Ezer Mizion.
At Ezer Mizion’s Oranit Cancer Patient Guest Home, support comes in many forms. Ezer Mizion surrounds patients and their families with a wide range of emotional support and therapeutic experiences designed to ease their journey. Among the most beloved of these is animal-facilitated therapy, a uniquely powerful source of comfort, connection, and healing.
For Sagiv (10), the wildlife pavilion is one of the most cherished places at Ezer Mizion. There he can care for animals and take part in therapy sessions. It is here that his bond with Balu has blossomed. The two are inseparable – best friends who share quiet moments of comfort and playfulness that transcend words.
Balu is more than a therapy dog. He is a source of warmth, a companion in difficult moments, and a symbol of the healing power of kindness. Sometimes healing comes with four paws and a gentle heart.
Moshe’s mother, Daniela, is battling cancer. Once a week, Moshe (13) comes to Ezer Mizion’s wildlife pavilion to spend time with Balu, working on new commands and reinforcing the ones Balu has already learned.
Moshe shares: “I practice ‘heel,’ ‘sit,’ and ‘down’ with him. I throw balls for him to fetch. I’m planning to keep working on ‘stay’ and ‘free,’ which he’s still getting the hang of, and also to teach him new commands like ‘roll over’.” With the guidance of the wildlife pavilion’s therapeutic team, Moshe trains with Balu and looks forward to every visit.
Unlike the repair of machinery, the human spirit is an equal partner with the body in restoring health. Pet Therapy is one of the ways that the spirit is strengthened and enabled to help bring about the awaited healing. Through Balu, children like Sagiv, Moshe and their families are reminded that even in the most challenging journeys, there can be joy, connection, and hope.
