Volunteer Spotlight: The Fellers Family

On April 15, 2020, John and Shellie Fellers were shocked when their daughter, Josie, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.

Over the next five months, John and Shellie would split their time at Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital, while Josie received chemotherapy to fight her cancer.

“We had to take turns visiting her due to COVID restrictions, which was really difficult on our family since we have another daughter that also needed us at home,” said Shellie, Josie’s mom.

Despite the restrictions, volunteer services at Dolly Children’s ensured Josie had a cake on her birthday and celebrated her high school graduation that she missed. Although Josie’s parents and the hospital were trying their best to bring normalcy to her life throughout treatment, she missed things at home including being around their dogs.

“We would drive the dogs over to the hospital, get them out of the car and walk them to the window so Josie could see them. It brought her so much joy during a difficult time,” said Shellie.

After months of treatment, Josie was finally able to go home in September 2020. Her parents felt deeply moved and impacted by the hospital. “Volunteer services went above and beyond for Josie when she was here. I told them that when we were in a better place with her health, I’d love to come back and give in some sort of way,” said John, Josie’s dad.

Nearly a year later, John was back at Dolly Children’s but for a different reason. He began volunteering his time by doing the movie cart, which was deeply impactful to him since Josie and him selected and watched many movies together during her treatment. He later moved into a different role as a wayfinder to greet and direct patients and their families.

Volunteering soon became a family affair when their other daughter, Olivia, took part in the hospital’s VolunTeen program. Inspired by their giving hearts, Shellie felt moved to also come back to the hospital and make a difference with their dog, Lucy.

“Lucy has made such a difference in my life, so I knew she’d bring smiles and happiness to the patients and families at the hospital,” said Shellie. She took Lucy through the Human-Animal Bond in Tennessee (HABIT) program and passed her evaluation with flying colors. 

Shellie and Lucy now make their rounds each week by being a happy distraction during certain procedures, when patients are receiving IVs or just a child that misses their dog the way Josie did.

“Volunteering as a family and with Lucy has given our family a purpose after watching Josie beat leukemia. This hospital has become a part of our lives.”