07/28/2026
Last week, we said goodbye to a very special friend.
For the past six years, Alan White and his beloved therapy dog, Szva, faithfully volunteered with our Providence Hospice - Community Healthcare of Texas team in Waco, bringing comfort not only to our patients and their families, but also to the nurses, aides, chaplains, social workers, and volunteers who care for them each day. Their compassion left an unforgettable mark on our team.
But Szva's legacy reached far beyond hospice. Alongside Alan, a Purple Heart recipient and Vietnam War veteran, she completed more than 1,140 therapy visits, serving hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, schools, first responders, and communities across Central Texas, including providing comfort as part of a Crisis Response Team following the Kerrville floods.
We've shared their remarkable story on our website, along with additional photos that capture the joy, comfort, and hope Szva brought to so many lives.
We invite you to take a few moments to read about Szva's incredible legacy and the selfless heart of Alan, who continues that legacy through his newest therapy dog in training, Raven.
๐ Read the full story here: https://www.chot.org/2026/07/therapy-dog-szva/
Thank you, Alan, for sharing Szva with all of us. ๐พ ๐
Szva spent more than eight years bringing comfort throughout Central Texas. Her visits with Providence Hospice patients, families and caregivers left a lasting legacy of compassion.