Doc, a yellow Labrador, visits the infusion center at Oregon Health & Science University's Knight Cancer Institute as part of a partnership with Assistance Dogs Northwest.
Doc began working at OHSU in January 2026. His handler, infusion nurse manager Trish Silbernagel, brings him to the South Waterfront campus four days a week.
Cancer patient Angela Allen told OHSU that meeting Doc during chemotherapy gave her a welcome moment to focus on something other than treatment. She said he also spent time with her teenage son, who accompanied her.
Doc is trained to settle beside patients and keep clear of bandages, IVs and other equipment. His visits are optional, and his handler says only some dogs are suited to the busy hospital environment.
