February 4, 2020

Texas Children’s is always searching for innovative ways to improve the experience for our patients and their families while in our care, especially for those patients and families who are unable to go home.

Seeing the impact that our Pawsitive Play Program’s beloved therapy dogs – Elsa, Bailey, Pinto, Cohen and Pluto – have brought to countless patients and their families, Texas Children’s recently embarked on a virtual adventure that will further enhance the healing environment that animals can provide to our patients.

On January 30, Texas Children’s hosted a special celebration to announce the arrival of San Diego Zoo Kids, a closed-circuit television adventure channel, that will provide educational wildlife programming to children and families who call Texas Children’s and the Ronald McDonald House Houston “home.”

“At Texas Children’s Hospital, we are committed to the holistic care of children and families,” said Texas Children’s Physician-in-Chief Dr. Mark Kline. “Outstanding partners, like the San Diego Zoo Kids Channel, can help to normalize the hospital experience for the children and families that we serve.”

This groundbreaking event included remarks from Paul Baribault, president and CEO of San Diego Zoo Global, Major General Richard Noriega, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Houston, Jackie Wallace, senior director of Public Relations for the Houston Zoo, and Denny Sanford, a businessman and philanthropist whose vision and generous donation made this program possible for children and families around the world.

“Denny Sanford has given us this meaningful opportunity to share the joy and wonderment of animals with children who may be unable to visit their local zoo or aquarium due to injury or illness,” said Baribault, president and CEO of San Diego Zoo Global. “We hope the inspiring stories of the San Diego Zoo Kids channel can be a source of comfort and inspiration when young patients need it most.”

The program’s launch at Texas Children’s marks the San Diego Zoo Kids’ 300th facility location which is broadcast across 44 states and 12 countries. The channel will feature animal stories from the San Diego and Houston Zoo, and more than a dozen accredited zoos and aquariums in North America. A generous grant from The Institute of Museum and Library Services made the channel available on TV monitors at Texas Children’s and Ronald McDonald House Houston.

More than a dozen patients, their families, hospital staff and invited guests attended the groundbreaking celebration, and met some amazing animals including a screetch owl and rabbit from the Houston Zoo, which was a big hit for the crowd.

Mercy Lopez, whose daughter is a patient at Texas Children’s, is grateful to Texas Children’s for bringing this new programming to patients and families.

“My daughter loves watching the Discovery Channel, so I know she will benefit from this programming,” Lopez said. “Since she can’t visit the zoo right now, she can experience it in her room.”

December 23, 2019

On December 17, PLAY 60 Kid of the Month winners met for their special NRG Stadium experience, which included Houston Texans prize packs, a stadium tour, radio interview with the voice of the Houston Texans, Marc Vandermeer, and a walk on the field.

PLAY 60 is the National Football League’s campaign to encourage kids across the country to get off the sidelines and be active for an hour a day to help reverse the trend of childhood obesity and be healthier. The program is presented locally by Texas Children’s Hospital.

The 2019 PLAY 60 Kid of the Month winners participated in an online/social media contest. The winners are:

March: Abel Gonzalez
April: Jaydin Kane
May: Alexandra and Elizabeth Lowenberg
June: Hayden Holloway
July: Alix Meza
August: Marc Armendariz
September: Kaydence Haymon
October: Greyson Moreida
November: Jesus Olivarez

Thank you to everyone who applied to be a PLAY 60 Kid of the Month by showing us how you get your 60 minutes of play each day. View photos below of the winners’ special NRG Stadium experience.

To learn more about Texas Children’s partnership with the Houston Texans, visit: texaschildrens.org/texans

October 1, 2019

Texas Children’s and the Houston Texans celebrated PLAY 60 by cheering on the football team as they played the Carolina Panthers in the 4th Annual Texans Kids Day presented by Texas Children’s Hospital.

Texans Kids Day highlights the National Football League’s PLAY 60 initiative, a campaign that encourages kids to be active for 60 minutes a day in order to reverse the trend of childhood obesity. Texas Children’s Hospital, the local presenting sponsor of PLAY 60, was featured throughout Sunday’s game including signage, gate giveaways and kids jobs.

Additionally, Kaylee Tolleson, an avid Houston Texans fan and patient at Texas Children’s Hospital’s Cancer Center, served as the Honorary Coin Toss Captain. The 9-year-old is an ovarian cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer after doctors found a tumor the size of a softball had spread to her abdominal wall. Following surgery and four intense rounds of chemotherapy at Texas Children’s, Kaylee was declared cancer-free in July. She rang the end-of-treatment bell surrounded by her parents and army of supporters. Now, Kaylee is a spunky 4th grader who loves ice skating, Girl Scouts and tracking the weather. She is a BIG Houston Texans fan and can’t wait to see her favorite player, J.J. Watt, play in person at the game.

Ten employees recognized as Unsung Heroes as well as our 2020 Catalyst Award winners, their guests and leaders got to watch the game as a thank you for their compassion and dedication to the Texas Children’s mission. The tickets to the game are one of the benefits of Texas Children’s Hospital being the official children’s hospital of the Houston Texans football team. To learn more about the Unsung Heroes, click here. The 2020 Catalyst Award winners, along with the Catalyst of the Year, will formally be announced at the Mark A. Wallace Catalyst Luncheon on October 16.

In addition to the Kids Day game, the PLAY 60 initiative was full of fun events aimed at helping further the PLAY 60 message and getting children across the Houston moving. Below is a recap of some of these event. View photos from the events below.

PRE-GAME PEP RALLY:
Last week, we hosted a pre-game pep rally at the hospital’s play garden to help get some of our patients excited about the game and remind them about how important it is to PLAY 60. Texans players Roderick Johnson and Peter Kalambayi, Texans Cheerleaders Sierra and Torrey, and TORO were in attendance and took photos, played games and signed autographs with patients and their families.

PLAY 60 AT THE PARK:
On September 21, Texas Children’s Hospital and the Houston Texans hosted the 3nd annual PLAY 60 at the Park event at Evelyn’s Park Conservancy to kick off PLAY 60 Week in Houston. As the local sponsor of PLAY 60, the NFL-led initiative, which encourages kids to get at least 60 minutes of active play per day, Texas Children’s invited the community to join in an evening of fun and games aimed at keeping kids healthy. Special guests included Texans Ambassadors Cecil Shorts III and Eric Brown, TORO, Houston Texans Cheerleaders and more.

KIDS JOBS:
Five PLAY 60 participants were selected to attend and participate in the Kids Day game. These participants were given the special assignments of Public Announcement Announcer, Texans Radio, Jr. Reporter on Texans Unlimited, Gameday Central Desk helper, Halftime Trophy Presenter for the Mascot Bowl.

Texas Children’s Hospital and the Houston Texans are two winning teams that share one goal – keeping Houston kids healthy and encouraging them to be more active. To learn more about our partnership, visit: texaschildrens.org/texans.

September 10, 2019

Houston Texans Mascot TORO made a special visit to Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women Labor and Delivery Unit on August 28. While there, TORO welcomed a handful of little ones to the Texans family and offered the newest members of the Homefield Advantage Texans-branded birth certificates. The visit was a nice surprise for some of the hospital’s newest additions and was made possible by the partnership Texas Children’s has with the Texans to inspire children to lead healthier, more active lives.

August 20, 2019

When 19-year-old Isabella Williams found out she was going to meet not one but 10 Houston Texans cheerleaders, her face lit up like a lightbulb.

“She LOVES to cheer,” said Child Life Specialist Natalie Juneau. “This is a perfect event for her.”

The event Juneau had the privilege of inviting Williams and other patients to on August 13, was the fourth Houston Texans Jr. Cheer Mini Camp. Held in a conference room on the fourth floor of the Pavilion for Women, the event brings the Texans Junior Cheerleader Program to children who wouldn’t be able to participate otherwise.

“This is one of my favorite events,” Texans cheerleader Shakila said. “I love being able to make the kids smile.”

View photos from the event below.

Shakila and her colleagues – Amanda, Ashley, Briana, Gabrielle, Kristin, Lainey, Natalie, Taryn and Taylor – spent about an hour with Isabella and several other Texas Children’s patients. The cheerleaders performed for them, did an arts and crafts project with them, signed autographs, posed for pictures, and handed out lots of goodies, including Junior Cheerleader T-Shirts, insulated water bottles and bright red pom-poms.

At one point during the event, the patients were divided into three teams with the cheerleaders – Liberty White, Battle Red and Deep Steel Blue –and asked to come up with their own group cheer and perform it for everyone in the room. Excitement filled the room as the patients cheered for their hometown NFL team.

“We are so glad to be here today,” Taryn said. “We can’t wait to get to know you and for you to get to know us.”

For 9-year-old Luci Warren, the visit from the cheerleaders was a bright spot on what could have been a pretty dull birthday spent in the hospital.

“I got very excited when I found out I was going to meet them,” Luci said.

Luci’s father, Rob Warren, said being able to attend the event was a pleasant surprise, especially since it fell around his daughter’s special day.

Following the event, the cheerleaders visited patients on the 11th floor of West Tower. These patients were unable to make it to the event at the Pavilion for Women and enjoyed seeing a friendly face.

The Houston Texans Jr. Cheer Mini Camp is made possible due to an ongoing partnership Texas Children’s has with the Texans to inspire children to lead healthier, more active lives through camps, programs and events all year long. Texas Children’s works alongside the Texans through community engagement and education programs to give Houston-area kids the tools necessary to make healthy choices throughout their lives.

June 17, 2019

In 2018, The Walt Disney Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger announced that Disney will dedicate more than $100 million to bring comfort to children and their families in hospitals across the globe, beginning right here at Texas Children’s. Learn more by visiting our 2018 virtual Annual Report.

April 30, 2019

Houston Texans linebacker Benardrick McKinney announced the 161st pick in the 2019 NFL Draft on April 27 live from NRG Stadium during the Houston Texans Kids Triathlon. The triathlon is the largest kids triathlon in the word and is presented by Texas Children’s Hospital.

Flanked by triathletes, Texans cheerleaders and TORO, McKinney excitedly proclaimed to a live and national broadcast audience that the Texans had chosen defensive end Charles Omenihu as the team’s 161st draft pick. The Pro Bowler and TORO then took a celebratory dip in the Texans Kids Triathlon pool!

Click here to watch a video of the pick and here to see photos.

More than 3,000 participants ages 6 to 15 turned out for the Houston Texans Kids Triathlon on April 27 and 28 at NRG Stadium, making it the largest USATriathlon sanctioned kids triathlon in the world for the fourth consecutive year.

Texas Children’s Hospital presents the event as part of the hospital’s partnership with the Texans and local sponsorship of PLAY 60, the NFL’s initiative aimed at encouraging kids to get sixty minutes of play per day.

Click here to see photos from the triathlon.