More than a pet project, facility dogs can lower patient blood pressure, reduce pain perception, ease loneliness and fear and offer an important form of medicine — connection.

C-Pod nurse commands a Tennessee-based U.S. Army Reserve unit

Monroe Carell Surgeon-in-Chief Jeffrey Upperman judges films for the Nashville Film Festival, is on the Belcourt Theatre board, and says surgery and moviemaking are similar in many ways.

As the facility dog coordinator at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Grissim is always on the go.

The show highlighting advancements in cancer care was taped at The Pinnacle in downtown Nashville. Approximately 1,000 VUMC employees and their guests attended a pre-taping party and show.

“I said ‘Thank you for saving my life,’” she said. “I have awesome co-workers.”