By Lindsay Hughes
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This story was originally featured in the Spring 2025 edition of the USA Health magazine.
On a weekday afternoon, you might spot Karl the cat wearing a harness while confidently trotting down the hall of University Hospital, or Emmie the golden retriever excitedly wagging her tail in the elevator at Children’s & Women’s Hospital. They’re on their way to visit patients as part of USA Health’s pet therapy program.
In order to volunteer, the animals and their handlers go through special education and training with Pet Partners. Once registered, the teams are deployed in the hospitals, where they bring joy, comfort and unconditional love to patients of all ages.
Since opening in 1990, the school within the hospital has served more than 35,000 children. Anne M. Vella, Ph.D., founder of ClassAct, is retiring at the end of the 2024-25 school year.
The Medical Association of the State of Alabama (MASA) is the professional association for some 7,000 physicians of all specialties throughout Alabama. MASA held its annual session recently in Orange Beach.
Price Sessums, M.D., will provide orthopaedic surgical care with a focus on sports medicine; arthroscopic surgery of the knee, shoulder, and hip; and shoulder arthroplasty.
USA Giving Week is a celebration of impact – one week to give back and show your support for USA Health patients. Starts April 27. Ends USA Founders Day, May 3. Be part of something bigger SouthAlabama.edu/GivingWeek.
Our calendar lists special events and regularly scheduled classes separately. To display a list of upcoming classes, select the "Classes" option above or visit Events, Classes and Support Groups at USA Health.
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