At Kentucky Children’s Hospital, canine companions aim to bring comfort to kids.
One 12-year-old artist and cancer survivor has an art exhibition showcasing the therapy dogs.
On the ground floor lobby of Kentucky Children’s Hospital, 10 colorful paintings of UK HealthCare’s animal-assisted therapy dogs are lined up on a gallery wall. 12-year-old cancer survivor Katie Carmichael created the Pups of Color exhibit. It’s her first art exhibition. The young artist said painting the pup portraits helped her look on the bright side throughout her treatment for bone cancer.
“Being able to take something that’s positive and being able to feel like I’ve accomplished something and see your progress through a number of things is just such a great way to make the time pass and just to feel like you can do something even though there are so many things you can’t do. Cause at the time, I feel like when I first started this project I couldn’t even walk yet and here I am now and I have a new prosthesis. It’s just amazing to see how much I’ve come from the beginning of this project to the end,” explained Katie.