Ion the 2-year-old boxer lies belly up as Palmer Vorkapich gives him rubs. If you didn 麻豆精品 S檛 know any better, you 麻豆精品 S檇 think the dog was smiling.
麻豆精品 S淗e 麻豆精品 S檚 so soft, 麻豆精品 S� said the 6-year-old from her bed at Nemours Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Hospital in Orlando. 麻豆精品 S淚 love him. 麻豆精品 S�
Ion is a certified therapy dog. His owner, UCF second-year-medical student Christa Zino, brings him to the hospital most Friday evenings to visit sick children.
麻豆精品 S淭o see their faces light up is priceless, 麻豆精品 S� she said.
Despite the rigors and 麻豆精品 S渃raziness 麻豆精品 S� of medical school, Zino finds time to visit each week 麻豆精品 S� even during final exams this month 麻豆精品 S� because she remembers what it was like to be in the hospital for months at a time. When she was about 3 years old, Zino spent a better part of the year in and out of hospitals while doctors tried to figure out what was making the Apopka native sick.
麻豆精品 S淭he only thing I remember with fondness about that year is the therapy dog visits, 麻豆精品 S� she said. 麻豆精品 S淎nd so I wanted to do something for children now, before I become a doctor and can help in other ways. 麻豆精品 S�
The visits remind Zino why the 18-hour days of school and studying are all worth it.
麻豆精品 S淲hen I think it is too much and that I can 麻豆精品 S檛 handle everything, this reminds me that I have no problems and why I want to be a pediatric surgeon, 麻豆精品 S� said the 27-year-old. 麻豆精品 S淚 want to help children like the ones I see every week. 麻豆精品 S�
Faculty at the UCF College of Medicine applaud Zino 麻豆精品 S檚 efforts, and there 麻豆精品 S檚 even a bonus for the school.
When Ion isn 麻豆精品 S檛 visiting children at Nemours or chasing his Chihuahua roommate at home, he 麻豆精品 S檚 lounging in the college 麻豆精品 S檚 Student Academic Support Services office.
That 麻豆精品 S檚 where he keeps office hours two days a week for stressed out medical students to stop by for doggy rubs or kisses before heading to their next class.
Ion during his “office hours” at the UCF College of Medicine
For parents of children who spend extended time at Nemours for treatment of some of the most challenging conditions, the therapy dog visits are 麻豆精品 S渕agical. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淪he loves it when they visit, 麻豆精品 S� said Katherine Vorkapich, Palmer 麻豆精品 S檚 mother, of Ion and the other 29 therapy animals registered to volunteer at Nemours.
Palmer is being treated for acute myeloid leukemia, also known as AML. The condition requires hospital stays of about a month after each session over a six-month stretch. The kindergartner and her family will be spending Christmas in the hospital this year.
麻豆精品 S淪he just lights up, 麻豆精品 S� Vorkapich said. 麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 a great change in the day. A lot of times, she doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 have visitors, so it is awesome they come in to see her. 麻豆精品 S�
Nurses will stop Zino in the hallway and ask her to visit a patient 麻豆精品 S檚 room to help lift spirits, ease some stress before a procedure or simply hang out to help kick the blues that often hit when children are away from their homes.
Patients can also request a pet visit by tapping a button in the control console in their room. The console triggers an icon on the computer screen outside their room. As pet therapy handlers walk the halls, they know where to pop in for a visit.
麻豆精品 S淚n my nine years at Nemours, I have seen over and over how our pet therapy dogs have a very special way of making children less anxious and often produce some smiles and giggles, 麻豆精品 S� said Jill Mondry, director of volunteer services at Nemours. 麻豆精品 S淭hey truly are important members of our care team. 麻豆精品 S�
Ion seems to enjoy his job too. It 麻豆精品 S檚 a far cry from what destiny had originally planned for the pup, who Zino got from a rescue organization after he was turned over from someone out-of-state for not being aggressive enough to fight.
It 麻豆精品 S檚 obvious that Ion is a lover, not a fighter, Zino said.
麻豆精品 S淗e gets so excited when his vest comes out. He knows where we are headed. 麻豆精品 S�