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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A medical student has been taking her dog to an Orlando children's hospital in hopes of bringing some cheer and a smile to patients' faces.
The Orlando Sentinel reports (http://bit.ly/1mrQ41W ) University of Central Florida medical student Christa Zino brings her dog Ion to Nemours Children's Hospital at least once a week.
Zino says she knows her 2-year-old rescued boxer can promote healing in a way no doctor can, because she has experienced the impact firsthand.
As a toddler, Zino spent time in and out of hospitals after developing a painful bile-duct blockage. Zino says she remembers how happy she was when the therapy dog would come to see her.
The experience led her to pursue becoming a pediatric surgeon and getting one of her three dogs certified for pet therapy.
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Information from: Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com/
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