December 2, 2019

Tune in and listen from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. December 5 and 6 to help support the Texas Children’s Hospital Mega 101 FM Radiothon. Your donation will help children in our community receive the care and treatment they need and deserve. Give today by calling 1-800-680-3721 or by visiting https://klol.radio.com/.

October 22, 2019

On Saturday, November 2, gamers nationwide will take to their controllers and board games to support Texas Children’s Hospital during Extra Life, an online grassroots movement working to help sick children through the power of play

Extra Life was formed in 2008 to honor Victoria Enmon, a Texas Children’s patient who lost her life to acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The event has become a national fundraiser supporting 170 children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada that partner with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Last year more than 1,000 gamers signed up to support Texas Children’s and raised nearly $100,000 by playing games during a 24-hour marathon period.

This year, individuals, groups or teams supporting Texas Children’s can gather in the Human Resources Conference Rooms on the first floor of the Meyer Building from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 2. Bring table top games, video games, all games welcome. Most importantly, go to Extra-Life.org to register. For more information, contact Ryan Massey in the Office of Philanthropy at ext. 4-7868.

October 15, 2019

Cami Cannary and Milli Cruz are truly a dynamic duo. The mother and daughter both have faced pediatric cancer and fought it with everything they’ve got.

Cami was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 1989 and battled it with the help of Dr. ZoAnn Dreyer, director of the Texas Children’s Cancer Center’s Long-Term Survivor Program. Diagnosed with leukemia in 2018 when she was just 20 years old, Milli also is Dr. Dreyer’s patient, receiving care at Texas Children’s Cancer Center. She currently is in the maintenance phase of her treatment plan and is looking forward to completing her therapy in about a year.

“It’s been a long, tough road, but I’m getting to the good spots, and my mom has been a huge help,” Milli said. “She’s provided me with so much support and insight that only she could give.”

To celebrate how far they both have come, Milli and Cami, along with other cancer patients and survivors, walked the runway on October 11 at the 12th Annual Champions Luncheon and Fashion Show, formerly known as the Celebration of Champions, at River Oaks Country Club.

“Caregivers at Texas Children’s Cancer Center recognize that health concerns for childhood cancer patients do not end when their cancer treatment is successfully completed,” said Dr. Susan Blaney, Director of Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers. “The Long-Term Survivor Program, which currently follows about 1,500 pediatric cancer survivors, has developed an international reputation as a leader in the field and has attracted world-renowned faculty involved in local, national and international research that benefits today’s pediatric cancer patients and future survivors.”

During the event, pediatric cancer patients and survivors from Texas Children’s Cancer Center were escorted down the runway by local philanthropists or “Community Champions.” Milli and Cami were paired with Dreyer, who said she has never cared for both a parent and a child during her career at Texas Children’s.

“These two women are very special,” Dreyer said. “They have a powerful bond, and I’m so glad they are getting to celebrate that today at this beautiful event.”

View photos from the event below.

Five-year-old Gatlin Massey walked the runway with Ed and Gwen Emmett. Ed Emmett served as Harris County Judge for 12 years and is now a professor at Rice University, a senior fellow at Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, and a distinguished senior fellow at Northeastern University’s Global Resilience Institute. Gwen Emmett is active in the community on many levels and is currently board chair for Baker Ripley. Her passion is children and making them safe and capable young adults.

“It’s absolutely wonderful to be part of something so special,” Gwen Emmett said.

The Champions Luncheon was chaired by Sidney Faust, Judi McGee, Elsie Eckert and Scott Basinger, who have overseen the luncheon each year since its inception. Thanks to underwriting by Faust Distributing Company and Mach Industrial Group, Inc., each patient was able to keep his or her hand-picked outfit – much to the delight of the “models.”

All funds raised during the luncheon will benefit Texas Children’s Cancer Center’s Long-Term Survivor Program, one of the nation’s only long-term childhood cancer survivor programs that sees survivors through adulthood. Today, more than 37,000 survivors treated at 138 clinics around the world are using Passport for Care, a free online resource developed at Texas Children’s Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine that provides individualized health care information to guide care for effects from childhood cancer treatment. Patients who are not signed up through their clinic may benefit from Passport for Care’s resources by using the newly-developed Screenings Recommendations Generator.

The Vannie E. Cook Jr. Children’s Cancer and Hematology Clinic in McAllen, Texas, a site of Texas Children’s Cancer Center, hosted a similar fundraising event on September 25. The 6th Annual Celebration of Heroes Fashion Show and Luncheon was held at the McAllen Convention Center and raised over $140,000. All proceeds benefitted the Vannie E. Cook Jr. Children’s Cancer and Hematology Clinic’s Charitable Care Program. For more information about Vannie Cook, click here.

October 8, 2019

On September 28, nearly 500 guests gathered at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott for the Spirit of the Woods gala benefiting Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands. The spectacular evening was filled with stunning performances by Antigravity, a high-energy aerial and acrobatics group which showcased the power of the human body and spirit. Thanks to the entertainment sponsored by Woodforest National Bank, guests were treated to highflying acts and daredevil drops all in support of the outreach and care Texas Children’s provides to underserved families in the community.

President of Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, Michelle Riley-Brown, welcomed guests and provided updates on the hospital’s successes since opening in 2017, including the remarkable milestones of completing 351,000 patient visits, more than 86,100 emergency center visits, and 18,787 surgeries. She also commended the astounding generosity of The Woodlands community, which – through this gala – helped raise more than $800,000 to care for the area’s most vulnerable children.

Chief surgical officer at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, Dr. Jeffrey Shilt, introduced the event’s honorees, Missy and Wayne Herndon. At the tender age of six, The Herndon’s son was diagnosed with batten disease, a rare, inherited pediatric neurological disorder that strikes young, otherwise healthy children. Following this prognosis, the Herndon’s partnered with Beyond Batten Disease Foundation to raise funds from generous donors in The Woodlands, the Houston area and Texas. Since then they have been an integral part of the community and continue to make a lasting impact on Texas Children’s.

The gala was made possible by Stacey and Steve Bourque, as well as the dedicated gala committee. The hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr. Paul Sirbaugh, helped close out the evening by sharing the transformational impact the gracious support of these individuals, and those in attendance, has on Texas Children’s mission. Through their generosity, and that of the community at large, the most vulnerable children in The Woodlands are able to receive the best care possible regardless of their ability to pay.

October 7, 2019

More than 300 golfers wore their baddest pants, played their best golf and raised more than $440,000 for Texas Children’s Newborn Center at the Clubs of Kingwood on October 2.

The RBC Wealth Management Bad Pants Open, an annual golf tournament now in its 22nd year, has raised more than $7 million over the past two decades to support continued innovation and excellence in the research, treatment and care of critically-ill and premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Texas Children’s Hospital. Tournament proceeds fund nurse training and education and hands-on bereavement care programs and ensure that each family’s most urgent needs are met – from covering parking costs to providing meals, transportation, car seats and more.

Recently renamed to acknowledge RBC Wealth Management’s longtime financial and employee volunteer support, the RBC Wealth Management Bad Pants Open was chaired by Brian Brantley, senior vice president and general counsel of SeaOne Holdings, LLC.

RBC Wealth Management brought in Dan Boever for a long drive exhibition and golfers enjoyed lunch on the course provided by Beck’s Prime. Players were also treated to complimentary pre-golf stretching provided by Reach Stretch Studios and live on-site broadcasting by ESPN 97.5 Houston, the tournament’s media partner. Among the tournament’s major sponsors were RBC Wealth Management, Jacob White Construction, CenterPoint Energy and Pam and Gary Whitlock.

The event featured a post-play awards ceremony and dinner catered by A Fare Extraordinaire, where players were awarded plates painted by Texas Children’s patients for both the best golf scores and baddest pants.

Kelly Jett, a NICU nurse at Texas Children’s Hospital, was presented with the NICU Nurse of the Year award, a special recognition awarded at each tournament. Pearland residents Eva and Philip Quartey, parents of Blessing Quartey, who was born at 24 weeks gestation weighing just over a pound and received care in the NICU at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, were honored at the event as well. Eva gave an emotional speech about the doctors, nurses and other support staff that helped her family through their long NICU journey.

More than 2,500 critically-ill and premature infants receive essential care in Texas Children’s NICU each year, many of whom are born at nearby Houston-area hospitals. Texas Children’s is the nation’s largest NICU and one of only two Level IV NICUs in the greater Houston area. More information, including next year’s tournament date, will be available at www.badpantsopen.com.

September 30, 2019

 

No matter where you are, you can make a difference when you go the distance for Texas Children’s Hospital! Join the Texas Children’s Hospital Heroes Team or create your own Torch Relay team to help heal sick children on Friday, October 18 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel in The Woodlands.

The relay consists of a 3-mile walk around The Woodlands Waterway, followed by an after party with food, a band, games, face painting and a caricature artist. All proceeds benefit the Children’s Miracle Network program at Texas Children’s Hospital.

As a Torch Relay participant, you can choose to join the Texas Children’s team, create your team or be an individual walker. Participants who raise $45 or more will receive a 2019 Torch Relay shirt and a medal as a thank you for participating. Participants who raise $5,000 or more will be invited to join the Torchbearer Club and attend the Torchbearer Weekend, which annually honors the top fundraisers.

For additional information, visit Torch-Relay.org or email Camille Landry at lclandry@texaschildrens.org.

July 23, 2019

We all know summer in Houston is hot. Fortunately, Dairy Queen and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® are serving up the perfect way to cool down.

Thursday, July 25 is Miracle Treat Day, which raises funds for an amazing cause. For every Dairy Queen Blizzard® Treat sold on Miracle Treat Day at participating locations in the Houston area, $1 or more of that purchase will be donated to Texas Children’s Hospital to help provide life-saving treatment for children in need.

The partnership between Dairy Queen and CMN Hospitals funds projects and programs across the United States that help kids be kids, even during a hospital stay. Texas Children’s is proud to be the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospital® for Greater Houston and the surrounding area, which means fundraising activities at regional CMN Hospital retailers and partners help support Texas Children’s greatest needs in care, research and community health programs.

To learn more, visit MiracleTreatDay.com.

About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
CMN Hospitals raise funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to children across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, CMN Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time, through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible.