09/11/2024
Our beloved Kimono aka Momo was a facility dog at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco for nearly 8 years and loved every single moment of it. She brought comfort and joy to so many patients and their families and she helped to make the hospital a safe and healing place, she also supported so many staff. Sadly Momo died after her battle with a dog type of cancer and she couldn’t conquer it despite receiving the best care. She worked until the last week comforting those around her and being the sweet Momo we all loved so much. During her time she impacted so many young lives. During her puppy years she was in the classroom with Ali Thurman and at work with Dave Thurman learning all the skills she needed to be an outstanding facility dog. She was matched with me (Eileen McCree) her handler/child life specialist via Canine Companions, they did the breeding and amazing training to make her the best facility dog for our hospital in the pediatric oncology/hematology unit. She has been with me for 24/7 and I will miss her deeply. I will be eternally grateful to Canine Companions and her puppy raisers (the Thurman’s). She was the bestest girl. Please consider a gift in her honor to UCSF Facility Dog Program, Fund: Pediatric Facility Dog Program – San Francisco https://donate.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org/fund/pediatric-facility-dog-program--san-francisco or Canine Companions – https://canine.org/ .
You are also welcome to share a memory of your time with Momo aka Kimono on this page. Her legacy will live on with our facility dog program (Tulip in the cardiac units and Courtney in the transitional care unit)
Thank you Eileen McCree, Child Life Specialist/Facility Dog Handler