Addie, an 8-year-old cancer patient from Tulsa, visited OSU as part of the Make-A-Wish program. Pictured (left to right): Her brother, Tyler; her mom, Renee; Addie; and her dad, Ben.

OSU Veterinary College, Make-A-Wish Oklahoma partner to make 8-year-old Tulsan ‘veterinarian for a day’

Friday, April 23, 2021

Media Contact: Derinda Blakeney, APR | OSU College of Veterinary Medicine | 405-744-6740 | derinda@okstate.edu

Addie, an 8-year-old cancer patient from Tulsa, dreams of being a veterinarian. Facilitated by Make-A-Wish Oklahoma, OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine hosted Addie for a day of special activities to fulfill her wish.

Addie spent the day with faculty, staff and students at the college’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital. During the morning, she helped perform wellness exams on kittens and puppies, learned about anesthesia for pets undergoing medical procedures, sutured a wound and splinted the leg of a stuffed dog and saw a variety of exotic pets.

Following lunch at Eskimo Joe’s with restaurant mascots Joe and Buffy, Addie helped the radiology team perform a CT scan on a box full of goodies (which she got to keep) on the hospital’s 64-slice CT scanner. The theriogenology team then let her help with a mock caesarian section on a toy dog that had four puppies, which Addie took home.

A 10-day-old goat kid wellness exam was her next stop in the food animal medicine and surgery service. Her last duty was to help perform a pre-game checkup on Bullet, OSU's equine mascot. Equine veterinarians showed Addie an echocardiogram displaying Bullet’s heart and watched him trot to make sure he is ready for the upcoming spring football game.

Addie’s special day culminated in a “graduation” ceremony at 3 p.m. with: OSU President Burns Hargis and First Cowgirl Ann Hargis; Dr. Carlos Risco, dean of the veterinary college; Larry Reece, senior associate athletic director of development for OSU Athletics; Coach Jim Littell and several members of the OSU women’s basketball team; Pistol Pete; Make-A-Wish Oklahoma president and CEO Brad Barghols; board member Jimmie Cameron; director of program services Katie Iannazzo; volunteers Joshalyn Ocker and daughter Sherrod; and many faculty, staff and students from the veterinary college.

“It was a privilege for us to grant Addie’s wish to be a veterinarian for a day,” hospital director Dr. Jeff Studer said. “Our faculty, staff and students enjoyed showing Addie what it’s like to be a veterinarian. Our team are experts at making dreams come true and it was an honor for us to be part of this special day for Addie.”

Special thanks to the Uniform Shop for Addie’s white veterinary coat, Elizabeth Beck from Card-My-Yard Stillwater for Addie’s welcome sign, Eskimo Joes for Addie’s special lunch experience, Homeland for the graduation ceremony decorations, Pete’s Pet Posse, the nation’s largest comprehensive pet therapy program for their welcome and everyone who attended her graduation ceremony.