SUNDAY AT 10 A.M. ON KOCO 5. IT’S GAME DAY FOR THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER. THIS SERIES ALL TIED UP AGAINST THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS ONE APIECE. THE TEAM IS ON THE ROAD TONIGHT, AND ONE WAY OKC IS BRINGING THE PLAYOFF ENERGY ALIVE WITH JERSEYS, BANDANAS AND SOME TAIL WAGS IN BETWEEN. THERAPY DOGS ARE HELPING KEEP PATIENTS WHO ARE SPENDING TIME IN THE HOSPITAL. LOUD CITY READY. KOCO MEGHAN MOSLEY TAKES US TO OU HEALTH. TRURO. TRURO IS ONE OF EIGHT PURPOSEFUL PUPS AT OU HEALTH. IT’S A LOT EASIER FOR OUR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES TO REACH GOALS WHEN A DOG IS BY OUR SIDE, MOTIVATING THEM. IT’S CALLED THEIR PAWS FOR PURPOSE PROGRAM. DO YOU WANT TO THROW IT REALLY FAR THAT WAY? YEAH. OKAY, GO FOR IT. EACH DAY LOOKS DIFFERENT. SOMETIMES IT JUST LOOKS LIKE COMFORTING SUPPORT, AND SOMETIMES IT’S HELPING THEM MOVE AFTER A DIFFICULT SURGERY OR HELPING FAMILIES WITH DIFFICULT NEWS. IT’S NEVER A FUN TIME TO BE IN THE HOSPITAL, BUT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A PUP LECTURER COME IN AND KIND OF BRIGHTEN HIS DAY AND JOIN US WHILE WE’RE WATCHING THE THUNDER GAMES IS FANTASTIC BECAUSE DURING THE PLAYOFFS, THESE DOGS ARE HELPING PATIENTS CHEER ON DOGS ON THE COURT WITH BANDANAS, JERSEYS AND ALL THINGS THUNDER. WE HAVE TO KEEP THE THUNDER SPIRIT ALIVE SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE A REPEAT. WE WANT TO WIN AGAIN. IT’S JUST LIKE KIND OF LONELY SITTING IN YOUR BED. AND SO IT MAKES ME HAPPY TO GET TO PLAY WITH THE DOGS AND GET TO WATCH THE THUNDER. WHILE THE THUNDER CHASE A CHAMPIONSHIP, THESE FOUR LEGGED FRIENDS ARE HELPING SCORE SMILES OFF OF IT. THEIR TAIL THAT’S NOW BLUE AND ORANGE. THAT’S NOW BLUE AND ORANGE. I KNOW SHE HAD TO REPRESENT FOR PATIENTS STUCK SPENDING THE PLAYOFFS INSIDE A HOSPITAL ROOM. THESE VISITS BRING A LITTLE PIECE OF THE THUNDER WITH THEM. IT’S DEFINITELY A FUN DISTRACTION, THAT’S FOR SURE. WE ALWAYS LOVE TO SUPPORT OUR THUNDER. THE KIDS OBVIOUSLY ARE STUCK HERE IN THE HOSPITAL, BUT WE WANT THEM TO HAVE A NORMAL EXPERIENCE, AND PART OF THAT MEANS JOINING IN WITH THE COMMUNITY OF CELEBRATING WIT
Therapy dogs bring Thunder spirit to OU Health patients
Therapy dogs at OU Health are helping patients stay connected to the Oklahoma City Thunder playoffs with jerseys, bandanas, and tail wags
Therapy dogs at OU Health are helping patients stay connected to the Oklahoma City Thunder playoffs by bringing team spirit into hospital rooms. >> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning NewsletterChurro, one of eight therapy dogs in the “Paws for Purpose” program, is helping patients and families stay motivated. “It’s a lot easier for our patients and families to reach goals when a dog is by our side, motivating them,” said Monica Lantz, facility dog supervisor at OU Health. Each day with the therapy dogs looks different, Lantz explained. “Sometimes it looks like comforting support, and sometimes it’s helping them move after a difficult surgery, or helping families with difficult news,” she said. Taylor Fudge, the father of an OU Health patient, shared how Churro has brightened their hospital experience. “It’s never a fun time to be in the hospital, but to be able to have a pup like Churro come in and brighten his day and join us while we’re watching the Thunder games is fantastic,” Fudge said. WATCH: Looking ahead to Thunder-Spurs Game 3 of Western Conference FinalsDuring the playoffs, the therapy dogs are decked out in Thunder jerseys, bandanas, and all things team spirit, helping patients cheer on the Thunder players. “We have to keep the Thunder spirit alive so we can have a repeat. We want to win again!” Lantz said. One patient expressed how much the visits mean to them. “It’s just like, kind of lonely sitting in your bed, so it makes me happy sitting with the dogs and watching the Thunder,” they said. The dogs even sport Thunder-themed touches, like tails dyed blue and orange. “Her tail, that’s now blue and orange,” one person said. “She had to represent.” For patients spending the playoffs inside a hospital room, these visits bring a little piece of the Thunder with them. “It’s definitely a fun distraction, that’s for sure,” one patient said. Lantz emphasized the importance of these visits for the children at OU Health. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.”We always love to support our Thunder. The kids are obviously stuck here in the hospital, but we want them to have a normal experience, and part of that is joining in with the community, celebrating with our basketball team here,” she said.Top HeadlinesFour dead, one critically injured after fiery wrong-way crash on I-40 in Canadian CountyDashcam video shows wrong-way driver moments before crash that killed 4 on I-40Video captures driver hitting 13-year-old girl with car while boarding her school busReaction to death of two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle BuschTIMELINE: Risk zone shifts some as storms bring threat of hail, low tornado risk late Friday
Therapy dogs at OU Health are helping patients stay connected to the Oklahoma City Thunder playoffs by bringing team spirit into hospital rooms.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter
Churro, one of eight therapy dogs in the “Paws for Purpose” program, is helping patients and families stay motivated.
“It’s a lot easier for our patients and families to reach goals when a dog is by our side, motivating them,” said Monica Lantz, facility dog supervisor at OU Health.
Each day with the therapy dogs looks different, Lantz explained.
“Sometimes it looks like comforting support, and sometimes it’s helping them move after a difficult surgery, or helping families with difficult news,” she said.
Taylor Fudge, the father of an OU Health patient, shared how Churro has brightened their hospital experience.
“It’s never a fun time to be in the hospital, but to be able to have a pup like Churro come in and brighten his day and join us while we’re watching the Thunder games is fantastic,” Fudge said.
WATCH: Looking ahead to Thunder-Spurs Game 3 of Western Conference Finals
During the playoffs, the therapy dogs are decked out in Thunder jerseys, bandanas, and all things team spirit, helping patients cheer on the Thunder players.
“We have to keep the Thunder spirit alive so we can have a repeat. We want to win again!” Lantz said.
One patient expressed how much the visits mean to them.
“It’s just like, kind of lonely sitting in your bed, so it makes me happy sitting with the dogs and watching the Thunder,” they said.
The dogs even sport Thunder-themed touches, like tails dyed blue and orange.
“Her tail, that’s now blue and orange,” one person said. “She had to represent.”
For patients spending the playoffs inside a hospital room, these visits bring a little piece of the Thunder with them.
“It’s definitely a fun distraction, that’s for sure,” one patient said.
Lantz emphasized the importance of these visits for the children at OU Health.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
“We always love to support our Thunder. The kids are obviously stuck here in the hospital, but we want them to have a normal experience, and part of that is joining in with the community, celebrating with our basketball team here,” she said.
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