Internet users have been left fighting back tears after seeing the heartbreaking moment one cancer patient received a much-needed visit from a therapy dog, moments after she learned about her chemotherapy treatment.

Following weeks of hospital visits and tests, mom-of-two Sierra Stone, of Atlanta, Georgia, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma in June 2024. It was devastating for the 26-year-old, and while medical staff were optimistic about her chances of beating it, there was no time to waste.

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The doctors immediately began drawing up a treatment plan, which Stone told Newsweek is really aggressive. She was going to have to endure five consecutive days of chemotherapy every three weeks, which was beyond what she ever could have imagined.

"I was there for nine days in total, and they decided to start my chemo a couple days after telling me about it, because my lymphoma is an aggressive form, and my mass had grown already," Stone said.

"I didn't know five days of chemotherapy was a thing, so it was overwhelming, especially since I have two little boys aged 2 years and 7 months," she added.

Stone was extremely sad in that moment, but thankfully, she got two very special four-legged visitors straight after. It just so happened that therapy dogs were making their rounds on the ward that day, so Stone was very grateful when a black Labrador wandered into her room, followed by Gracie the golden retriever.

As soon as Stone started fussing and cuddling Gracie, she burst into tears as the gravity of her diagnosis and treatment plan all kicked in. The golden retriever was more than capable of offering her support, though, as she made herself comfortable on the bed and rested her head on Stone.

Stone shared footage of that sweet moment on TikTok (@sierra_stone98), and it went viral with over 4.3 million views and more than 731,000 likes in a matter of days.

"I felt overwhelmed and scared of how hard chemo would be, and how much time I'd have to spend in the hospital. But golden retrievers are my favorite breed, so I was so happy Gracie was there," Stone said.

"It just made everything that much more emotional, and I felt like God knew what I needed because we didn't know what kind of dogs they'd be until they came in, so we had no idea until we saw her."

Seeing a pup when you are out and about can brighten anyone's day, but getting to spend a few precious moments with a dog in a hospital room can have an even greater impact. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, therapy dogs can positively affect patients' pain levels and satisfaction, provide social support, and improve mood.

What Did Social Media Think?

Stone spent only a matter of minutes with Gracie, but it made such a big difference in her mindset and perspective.

The reaction to the video on social media has been incredible for Stone, who is glad to show people the remarkable work of therapy dogs such as Gracie (@smiling_gracie_the_golden).

"The online support since posting this has been so incredible and comforting. People have been so nice, and it's really helped me continue to stay positive," Stone said. "We have even discussed Gracie visiting me again during my next chemo treatment, so that's exciting and I'm so grateful."

With over 3,250 comments on the viral TikTok video already, Gracie's hard work and loving attitude earned her plenty of praise online. One comment reads: "Gracie loves her job and is just what you needed."

Another person responded: "Gracie knew you needed her. Dogs are the best!"

A third commented: "We should have therapy dogs at all hospitals."

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