Meet Loki, the therapy Rottweiler delivering healing kits to Maryland ICU nurses, patients
BALTIMORE, Md. (WJLA) — A University of Maryland Medical Center therapy dog, Loki (also known as Dogtor Loki) is helping deliver hero healing kits to Maryland hospital ICU nurses during COVID-19.
The 2-year-old Rottweiler is a beloved therapy dog at the hospital in Baltimore who visits patients multiple days out of the week.
Loki’s mom, Caroline Benzel, is a second-year Medical Student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. “I got accepted into medical school around the same time I got her," Caroline said.
She realized she wanted a therapy dog shortly after her grandfather became sick. "My grandfather was sick and I lived with him in his hospital room for a month,” Caroline explained. “When he would see this dog, he would light up."
Caroline and Loki were spending 3 days in the hospital each week before COVID-19.
“I got pulled from school and the front lines,” Caroline said. “I was used to being at the hospital multiple days a week with Loki."
She says it was after that, they started face timing with patients and nurses.
"Everyone was wearing PPE 24/7 and because of that, they were getting rashes and irritation from wearing masks."
Caroline knew she and Loki needed to help in some way by making care packages and what she is now calling "hero healing kits."
They started collecting items that were easy to attain like hand lotion, Gold Bond, chewing gum, chapstick, and tea.
Caroline asked for donations via their Amazon Wishlist because there is a limit per customer on certain items.
"So far we have raised over 1,400 total kits. We are blown away by the kindness and generosity of people" Caroline wrote on Loki's Facebook page.
Caroline says anyone can help them through an Amazon Wishlist she created.
You can follow Loki on her Facebook or Instagram page to keep up with her journey.
