Kaylor Glassman and her colleague, facility dog Velour, walked into work early one morning, feeling a bit rushed to get to a meeting with their supervisor. Unsure what the meeting was about, Glassman was left wondering.
When she opened the doors to the Family Resource Center at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, the entire Patient- and Family-Centered Care team was there, smiling warmly. For a moment, Glassman was confused, as the group surrounded her. Glassman learned she had won a 2025 Patient and Family Choice Award.
“There were so many amazing nominations,” she said, reflecting on her colleagues and the deserving candidates on her team. “Being a new employee, I felt like it was a long shot.”
Glassman is one of seven employees chosen this year to receive a Patient and Family Choice Award.
Nominations are submitted by patients and families. The award honors employees from across Vanderbilt Health who act with compassion and excellence to provide an exceptional experience for patients and their families. This year, Vanderbilt’s patient and family advisory councils bestowed awards to seven individuals from Vanderbilt University Hospital, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt (two winners), Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, Vanderbilt Adult Ambulatory Clinics, Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital and Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital.
For Glassman, who had joined the hospital only a year earlier, the honor was overwhelming. She knew she’d been nominated, but she never expected to win.
“As someone who grew up with a chronic health condition, I know firsthand how important it is to have positive support during (health care) experiences. Being able to give that back to kids now — it feels really good,” Glassman said.
In their short time at the hospital, Glassman and Velour’s impact has been profound, touching the hearts of patients and families and helping improve healing care for children with a little furry motivation.
Her nominator’s family wrote, in part: “We know that our experience isn’t unique and that the work that Kaylor and Velour are doing together makes a difference for children and families facing tough medical challenges. Kaylor isn’t just Velour’s handler — she is a source of comfort, positivity and unwavering support. She played a crucial role in our son’s recovery, and her kindness and dedication made a lasting difference in our journey at Vanderbilt. She exemplifies what it means to truly care for patients and families.”
Glassman remains humble about the recognition, attributing much of her success to Velour. “She deserves a lot of the credit,” Glassman said, emphasizing their partnership. “I wouldn’t be here without her. We’re a team.”
In response to the nominator’s words, Glassman said: “We weren’t just visitors; we were truly part of his care. Seeing how much Velour added to his care, it was really powerful. (Velour and I) can work on treatment goals in a way that makes kids feel like kids rather than patients in a hospital.”
Glassman’s path to this job and award was shaped by a lifelong love of dogs and a commitment to helping children and families. Prior to joining Monroe Carell, she provided psychosocial support and education to families managing diabetes, a topic she understands well as a person living with Type 1 diabetes.
Her passion for dog training started as a child when she participated in dog showmanship and obedience in 4-H programs with her dog, Buddy, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Today, she also has another dog, Ranger, a 5-year-old golden retriever whom she trained to be a therapy dog, working with children in schools.
When Glassman first stumbled upon the job posting for a facility dog handler at the hospital, she knew reading it that she was the perfect fit. “It truly felt like my dream job,” she said. “Everything in the job description aligned with what I was looking for and my experience — both with dog training and working with children and families.”
Her canine clinician partner, Velour, a yellow Labrador who recently turned 3, quickly became an integral part of her life and work. Together, they form a unique team that provides comfort, joy and healing to patients and their families.
“Kaylor joined the Monroe Carell team as the second Canine Clinician Facility Dog handler. Together with Velour, Kaylor has supported countless children in navigating their medical stays,” said Anna Ahrens, director of Patient- and Family-Centered Care at Monroe Carell. “With expertise in canine assistance programs and a strong background in program development, Kaylor has been instrumental in driving the program’s growth and expansion.”
