2016 INTIMA ESSAY CONTEST

WINNING ESSAY

Heal! | Randy Hale

After an illness and loss of her chocolate Lab, a doctor isn't sure she's ready to welcome a new dog into her life. Then she meets Haley...

HONORABLE MENTIONS

A Healer of Its Own | Connie Shi

How an imaginary dog named Murray makes life less daunting for a patient with  Lewy Body Dementia, a neurological condition that is progressive and presently incurable.

The Best Cookies | Catherine Cherry

Breaking the rules to fulfill a dying patient's wishes is a different kind of recipe for healing.

The Sound of Purring | Greg Mahr

It's a hum that can be restorative to a psychiatrist who has been dealt several painful blows.

Zumi, The Palliative Pig | Krista Dobbie

Silliness—a piggy in a bike helmet?—does so much more than just make patients and doctors laugh.