To the Editor:

What an excellent article on the Sentara Obici Kanine Kandistriper program and the new grads!

My goldendoodle Yogi Bear and I are members of the team, and I know of no better way than this to give back to the community.

We’ve been there to see a patient respond to the dog as his first voluntary movement since having a stroke. We’ve been there when sisters lost a father and hung onto the dogs while they wept. We’ve been there when a young cancer patient asked the nurse to wait to administer chemo until she had loved on the dogs.

We’ve been there, and we will continue to be there in times of need.

God bless Lydia Dunkailo for her superhuman efforts in launching and nurturing the Kanine Kandistriper Program, God bless Sentara Obici for believing in the merits of this animal ministry, and God bless the 40+ dedicated dogs and their owners who give tirelessly of their time and their love.

Charnell Havens

Carrollton