Liahnely Cordero gets a hug from Martha during a recent Best Friends for Life event.

Martha from “Martha Speaks,” an animated series on PBS Kids, recently visited patients at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. The series features Martha, a beloved family dog who is accidentally fed alphabet soup, which gives her the power of speech. The visit was part of the local Best Friends for Life program. Gainesville’s PBS affiliate, WUFT, developed the program in partnership with the local non-profit Stop Children’s Cancer. It provides children’s books, activity kits and access to PBS educational programming on tablets for patients on the children’s hospital’s pediatric hematology/oncology unit. UF medical students also volunteer twice a week to read to these patients. The program provides children with activities that are entertaining and educational.