Bear necessities catered for

Christobel Snow (2), of Dunedin, and University of Otago medical student Emily Adam (19), of...
Christobel Snow (2), of Dunedin, and University of Otago medical student Emily Adam (19), of Coromandel, check Terence at the Teddy Bear Hospital at the Hunter Centre on Saturday. Photo by Linda Robertson.
A battered teddy bear, Terence, sustained minor facial injuries on Saturday and was treated at a Dunedin hospital.

Terence's owner, Christobel Snow, of Dunedin, said Terence slipped, fell and hurt his nose, and he was taken to the Teddy Bear Hospital at the Hunter Centre.

Tom Snow, Christobel's dad, said he and his wife, Jane Snow, brought their daughter to the event to reduce her anxiety when visiting medical professionals.

''Her last couple of trips to the doctor was for vaccinations, so it's quite good to bring her to something fun,'' Mr Snow said.

After Terence was given a clean bill of health, he and Christobel celebrated on the hospital's bouncy castle.

Mr Snow said the event was beneficial for the young doctors too, as it gave them the chance to learn how to relate to small children.

Hospital organiser Adele Macgregor (23) said the hospital had been held in Dunedin for the past five years but it was the first time a child had been able to take their teddy bear to a dentist.

During the past week, the hospital was open in the University of Otago's Fraser Building and about 700 children from preschools and kindergartens were seen by about 300 dentists and doctors, Miss Macgregor said.

-shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz

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