MEDIA ADVISORY: Meet Kimono, UCSF’s Most Popular New Clinician
She has soft brown eyes, a silky coat and is known by her colleagues for her impeccable manners and solid work ethic.
Kimono, a 2-year-old golden retriever/lab, is a new recruit at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco. She is a “facility dog,” one of a few in the Bay Area, who works specifically with pediatric patients.
Kimono has undergone a rigorous two-year training program at Canine Companions for Independence, which provided her free of charge. She knows 40 commands and provides gentle empathy and support for children undergoing painful procedures.
Media are invited to meet Kimono as she makes her first public appearance.
When: Tuesday, Dec. 6, from 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Where: UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco
1975 Fourth St. (Enter from Mariposa Street)
Who will be there with Kimono:
- Karen Sun, MD, pediatric hospitalist, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco, will talk about the healing touch of a very smart and special dog
- Pediatric patients
- Eileen McCree, Kimono’s handler, Child Life Specialist
- Michael Towne, Manager, Child Life Services
Media must confirm attendance prior to the event. Please contact Suzanne Leigh at (415) 680-5133; e-mail: [email protected]
UC San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It includes top-ranked graduate schools of dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy; a graduate division with nationally renowned programs in basic, biomedical, translational and population sciences; and a preeminent biomedical research enterprise. It also includes UCSF Health, which comprises three top-ranked hospitals, UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland, and other partner and affiliated hospitals and healthcare providers throughout the Bay Area.
About Canine Companions for Independence: Canine Companions for Independence is the largest non-profit provider of trained assistance dogs with five regional training centers across the country. Established in 1975, Canine Companions provides highly trained assistance dogs to children and adults with disabilities and is recognized worldwide for the excellence of its dogs, and quality and longevity of the matches it makes between dogs and people. There is no charge for the dog, its training and ongoing follow-up services. For more information, visit cci.org or call 1-800-572-BARK.