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Therapy dog bringing a different type of medicine to BRG patients

2 years 9 months 2 weeks ago Sunday, July 11 2021 Jul 11, 2021 July 11, 2021 8:36 PM July 11, 2021 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - A service dog is bringing comfort and relief to those recovering at Baton Rouge General.

Fin and his owner Frank walk around the hospital seeing nurses and patients, especially Jimmy Santangelo.

When Jimmy was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia he and his wife were not sure how to cope until the four-legged expert came in.

"Frank walked in and then her eyes lit up. She got a whole different attitude a whole different personality," Jimmy said.

"That was kinda a turning point for me, you know just being able to let it all out, in a good way, a good positive way that I didn't feel like was going to upset him. I was just laughing and crying at the time," said Jimmy's wife, Mickey Santangelo.

From there the relationship flourished. Every time Jimmy comes back to Baton Rouge General for chemo treatment Fin and Frank make a visit.

"I know every time I come up here, they'll make it a point to just sit with us and we just get to love on him," Mickey said.

"We got pets and dogs at home, it gives me the sense that I'm at home," Jimmy said.

For Frank, he says that's exactly their goal: to provide stress-relieving medicine to hospital patients and staff every day.

"I just feel blessed that we are a part of it and we're just doing what God wants us to do," Frank said

Dr. Fin and Frank will keep providing that joy as long as they are allowed to. Frank and Fin visit multiple hospitals across the area and also serve at Healing Place Church.

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