April 3, 2024

Assistant Director Christina Moreno had a front-row seat on the 18th hole to watch Stephan Jaeger secure his first PGA TOUR victory at the Texas Children’s Houston Open! Christina was one of more than 230 volunteers from Texas Children’s at the event.

Working in hospitality, Christina shared her thoughts, “My experience was phenomenal. The atmosphere on the 18th was electric with all the cheering and gasps for near misses. I also had the opportunity to chat with and thank the military veterans as they came in to the venue, and that was very special. The tournament was an amazing way to showcase TCH on a national stage highlighting our values and mission. I would 100% volunteer again.”

Volunteers are an integral part of operating a successful PGA TOUR event. Our team members worked across all areas of the tournament from gallery ambassadors and standard-bearers to evacuation and merchandise teams.

We caught up with some of our other volunteers to get their thoughts on the week:

  • Dr. Dean Andropoulos, Anesthesiologist-in-Chief (Gallery Ambassador 15th hole) – “I am a big fan of golf and wanted to learn how the tournament is run while also representing Texas Children’s. The course was beautiful, and the Texas Children’s signage and branding on everything was wonderful, especially the TCH logo in white flowers on the 15th hole. The positive feeling about TCH, the increased exposure from the thousands of fans who attended, and the great TV coverage featuring the hospital and some of our patients, is really important for us. I most enjoyed interacting with the fans and other volunteers, and saying I worked at TCH. I was so proud to say that. I would absolutely do this again.”
  • Courtney Prewitt, Advanced Quality Specialist (Gallery Ambassador 4th hole) – “I went in not knowing what to expect and the experience was nothing short of AMAZING. I got a chance to meet TCH colleagues across the system that I may have never crossed paths with, and I’m already planning to do it again next year. Being the title sponsor for the TCHO brings global attention to the amazing work we do. This tournament brought an incredible opportunity for employees by allowing us up close and personal insight to a PGA golf tournament. Kudos to Texas Children’s Hospital!” #Texaschildrensproud
  • Emmanuel Atenco, Business Process Engineer (Transportation) – “Before this experience, I didn’t know a thing about golf except for Tiger Woods. After volunteering, I actually watched the rest of the tournament at my house. As part of the transportation team, one of our duties was to pick up PGA TOUR players from the airport. The highlight was picking up a player who hung with the volunteers for a bit before he left. He ended up second or third in the tournament, and when I went to the tournament as a spectator, he recognized me and said hello! I was very happy Texas Children’s offered the opportunity to volunteer. Seeing the Texas Children’s logo throughout the tournament was rewarding and impactful because of the help we provide to our patients and the community.”
  • Shon Bower, Manager, Multimedia Center (Shotlink Spotter 12th hole) – “As a golfer I like to give back to the sport I play and regularly volunteer at tournaments in Houston. I signed up as soon as registration opened! I love being on courses when they are in such perfect shape. Seeing Texas Children’s everywhere was definitely a highlight as well as watching all the families out there enjoying the great weather and of course, watching the pros. This is a new level of exposure on a national stage. To see our incredible patient stories in the media gives those outside of Texas a small glimpse into what is possible here. I’ll definitely be back next year.”

Through our partnership with The Astros Golf Foundation, Texas Children’s is the title sponsor of the Texas Children’s Houston Open through 2028 hosting some of the PGA TOUR’s most outstanding players.

April 1, 2024

West Tower 16 named in honor of the long-time philanthropic partner. Read more

The more we know, the more we connect. Click to read this month’s DEI update. Read More

As a traveling physical therapist, Cassie Jones treated patients at organizations around the country. Once she stepped foot in Texas Children’s, it didn’t take long for her to fall in love with her co-workers, patients and the organization itself. As she put it, she couldn’t leave, and has now been with us for 11 years as a pediatric pain physical therapist, currently practicing at Clear Lake Specialty Care.

“I’ve worked at a lot of great facilities, but I really found a home at Texas Children’s,” said Cassie. “As a top pediatric hospital, we have kids come from everywhere with some of the rarest and most complex conditions. Some patients have the only documented case of their condition, so we all have to be at the top of our game to work together and develop the best treatment plans for them.”

Studies show up to one-third of children suffer from chronic pain, yet physical therapists treating chronic pain are very rare. The robust Pain Medicine program at Texas Children’s with dedicated physical therapists at many locations makes us a destination for these patients. The restorative model at Texas Children’s features a team comprised of a pain physical therapist, pain psychologist and physician prioritizing therapy over medication.

One of Cassie’s biggest success stories involves 16-year-old patient Joscey. She had ankle sprains, a tendon repair and multiple surgeries as a result from basketball injuries. She failed four courses of traditional PT focused on sports or traditional concepts. By the time she came to Cassie, she had quit in-person school and attended school online. She gave up the sport she loved and could no longer spend time with her twin sister at the movies or shopping. Her family is avid vacationers, hikers and she was not doing any of that with them. She lost herself and said her identity was gone.

Fast-forward to a year later and she is working to return to school in the fall. She plays basketball on a daily basis and is back to fun outings with her twin. She even went on a three-week vacation with her family hiking in Utah.

Recently, the department held a patient community day in partnership with the U.S. Pain Foundation, inviting current patients from around the system and their families, giving them a chance to get together and meet others going through the similar challenges. Joscey told her inspiring story and several attendees said she was the first person that gave them hope to overcome this.

Many kids dealing with chronic pain are completely isolated from the outside world and have little to no social interaction, which can add to their anxiety, fear and loneliness.

“Community day was more beneficial than we could have hoped for,” Cassie said. “Our patients met others going through the same thing and they instantly became friends. They exchanged phone numbers and Instagram handles. One Mom told me her daughter has social anxiety and hadn’t spoken to another kid in years as she watched her talk with a group of girls. It was amazing. We all cried a lot that day.”

Not all patients see instant success like Joscey, and some go through years of physical therapy. Cassie explained every patient is different, but their team works together to develop treatment plans for each individual. They will never give up finding ways to help these patients deal with their pain.

“Treatment for chronic pain can change someone’s life. It’s more than just getting them back to playing a sport, which is wonderful, but we’re privileged to have the opportunity to turn someone’s life around, and there’s nothing more rewarding.”

Know a team member who exemplifies our mission and core values? Help us recognize and reward your colleague as a Super Star! To nominate, click read more.

March 29, 2024

This week on Mark Wallace’s blog, he invites Dr. Michael Belfort, Texas Children’s Obstetrician/Gynecologist-in-Chief and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine, to help celebrate Doctors’ Day as he shares what being a physician means to him. Read more

March 26, 2024

In honor of the upcoming Texas Children’s Houston Open (TCHO) PGA TOUR event, Antone’s is offering a signature sandwich called the Texas Clubhouse (or TCH). Antone’s is on site March 25-26 in the Fresh Bistro in the Medical Center making these delicious sammies fresh to order.

Decked out in TCHO golf attire, CEO Mark A. Wallace visited the Bistro to tell patrons about the sandwich and our partnership with Antone’s.

“Directly in line with the incredible partners they are, Antone’s created a sandwich to celebrate the Texas Children’s Houston Open, and it’s simply amazing. This isn’t the first time they’ve developed a sandwich to celebrate and promote Texas Children’s and they outdo themselves every time. Not only are they longstanding supporters of Texas Children’s, they are wonderful friends who truly believe in the work we do for children and women around the world.”

The sandwich features Antone’s Smoked Turkey Club with a Texan twist: thin slices of smoked turkey, zesty pepper jack, crispy Applewood bacon, fresh arugula, all topped with their spicy Chow Chow relish – a first for Antone’s – and chipotle mayo, on a pretzel bun.

As a reminder, Antone’s is donating a portion of its sandwich sales from all Texas Children’s eateries to the Astros Golf Foundation benefiting their charity partners, which includes Texas Children’s. We want to thank Antone’s CEO Craig Lieberman and his team for their continued support and partnership – and of course the amazing sandwiches!

The Antone’s po’ boy sandwich wrappers include a QR code sticker that links to the TCHO website to learn more about the tournament and purchase tickets. Texas Children’s team members and their spouses/significant others are eligible for 20% off the purchase of grounds tickets at the tournament through our title sponsorship and our incredible partnership with The Astros Golf Foundation. The discount promo code is TCHTCHO.

Mr. Wallace also stopped for photo ops at the TCHO displays with team members and Texas Children’s facility dog, Crosby! We invite everyone to visit the Fresh Bistro or The Auxiliary Bridge in the Medical Center, as well as areas in West and The Woodlands campuses to take photos at the TCHO displays to celebrate the upcoming golf tournament. Post your photos on social media using hashtags #TCHoustonOpen #TCHO.

Visit the Texas Children’s Houston Open SharePoint site for details.