An unlikely friendship

Dog from VCU Medical Center program forms special bond with patient

The day Monica C. Hatcher brought her dog, Bama, to the VCU Medical Center was a turning point in the life of 10-year-old Katie Zube. 

Katie, diagnosed with a form of leukemia, and Bama, a bloodhound-Labrador retriever mix, shared an instant connection, Hatcher said.

“Bama got on the bed with Katie, Katie was smiling, and Bama was so gentle,” she said.

Bama’s immediate response to her was unlike any other dog she had been near, Katie said.

“Bama is special because when we first met, I was having a really bad day,” Katie said. “Bama got all the way up on my bed and fell asleep. (Hatcher and Bama) stayed for an hour.”

Since then, Bama has accompanied Katie during her treatments and blood draws, through the good days and the bad, Hatcher said.

“Bama continues to amaze me with her unconditional love, patience, kindness, strength and her intuitive nature around Katie,” she said. “I know Bama can sense when Katie is having a difficult day. It is amazing and proves the impact that dogs can have.”

Bama’s visits are conducted through the Center for Human-Animal Interaction’s Dogs on Call program, which arranges for approved therapy dogs and their volunteer owners to visit children and adults hospitalized at the VCU Medical Center.

The Dogs on Call program provides an invaluable service for the community, said human-animal center Director Sandra B. Barker, Ph.D.

“Parents of hospitalized children will tell you that visiting with therapy dogs allows their sick son or daughter to just be a child again rather than a sick child,” Barker said. “They have a few minutes during which they can smile, laugh, hug and play in an otherwise serious medical setting. Adult patients, too, are able to focus on the joy of seeing, touching and talking to a dog, and often the opportunity to talk about their own pets, which provides them with a break from their focus on medical issues.”

The Center for Human-Animal Interaction, part of the VCU School of Medicine, was created in 2001 to enhance patient well-being through pet visitation, to provide students with educational opportunities and to conduct research on the health benefits of human-animal interaction. Recent center studies tested the influence of animal interaction on human stress hormones and recorded humans’ brain waves when interacting with therapy dogs.

Despite its contribution to medical research, the biggest challenge for the center, Barker said, is its total reliance on private and corporate donations. Last year, Verizon’s $750 donation, along with a grant from the MCVH Auxiliary of the VCU Health System and sales proceeds from the 2007 edition of the calendar featuring Dogs On Call, were used to help the program certify and recertify therapy dogs, coordinate dog visits and provide dog workers and their owners with clean-up bags, dog treats and water bowls. But more funding is needed to solidify the center’s future, Barker said.

“While multitalented faculty and staff from varied disciplines on both the academic and medical campus are affiliated with the center because of their interest in this emerging field, resources are quite limited,” she said.

The center, Barker said, also has obtained funding through the generosity of private donors, local veterinarians, the Iams Company and the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign.

“Additional funding is needed for the center to continue its work in research, education and clinical activities,” she added.

Hatcher’s involvement with the center’s programs has been life changing.

“Words cannot explain how much the Dogs on Call program and the center have changed my life as well as my relationship with Bama,” Hatcher said. “When Bama and I visit patients, we learn a lot about them. We listen, we talk, we pet Bama and we share tears. Every patient has taught me something, from facts about bloodhounds to life regrets to their happiest moments to their saddest day. When dogs are present, people get a sense of acceptance and unconditional love — the gentle eyes and the soft fur are such a comfort.”

Katie’s mom, Susan Zube, couldn’t agree more. The impact Hatcher and Bama have made on Katie’s life has been profound, she said.

“All of the Dogs on Call volunteers are amazing, but Monica is truly special,” Zube said. “Her ability to connect with Bama and with people, especially children who are hurting, is simply inspiring. When she brought Bama to visit Katie that first day back in July 2006, she gave our whole family the gift of hope. It was as if our old Katie was back, at least while this beautiful dog was snuggled up to her.”

For more information, view the VCU InSight documentary program.