On May 31, nearly 100 guests – including Texas Children’s executive and physician leadership, members of the Board of Trustees, and the family of Lester and Sue Smith – gathered in the Russell and Glenda Gordy lobby for the official dedication and blessing of Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower.
Among late Houston philanthropist Lester Smith’s greatest joys was his dedication to the service of others. Most recently, Lester and his wife, Sue, announced a $50 million gift and helped raise a total of $83 million for Texas Children’s following the hospital’s Legacy of Motown Gala in Sept. 2018.
It’s been just over a year since Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower first opened its doors as the new home of heart, intensive care and surgery at Texas Children’s Medical Center campus. The cutting-edge, 640,000-square-foot facility allows Texas Children’s to continue providing the highest-quality care possible for the most critically ill children who come to us for help.
“When this tower was still under construction, we named it Legacy Tower,” said Mark Wallace, Texas Children’s president and CEO. “We knew this would be a place that would not only hold Texas Children’s legacy, but also the legacy of so many others, including our resilient patients and the dedicated team of caregivers who work hard each and every day to create healthier futures for children everywhere. Lester left so many legacies – his conviction and courage, his generosity, his triumphant spirit and his passion for life. Each of these legacies will be lived out every day in this building through the patients and families we serve.”
Prior to the official dedication, Lester’s daughter, Shelly, and her husband, Brian, along with his son Stuart and his wife, Limor, were surprised with the unveiling of two patient floors in the tower which were named in their honor by their late father.
“Lester brought so much joy to those he loves and cared for, and he often said that the most important thing we can do is care for the most vulnerable in our community – our children,” Sue Smith said. “We believe that the best place to heal sick children is right here at Texas Children’s, where all children are treated with the utmost compassion and expertise available, regardless of their family’s circumstances. That truly resonates with us and is what guides our giving.”
The first year in Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower was a busy one. As of May 2019, there had been 3,839 patient admissions in the pediatric and cardiac intensive care units. More than 9,000 patients received care at our outpatient Heart Center clinics, and over 700 catheterization and 476 MRI procedures were performed here.
A total of 3,455 surgeries were completed in the tower’s state-of-the-art surgical and cardiovascular operating rooms, totaling nearly 14,000 surgical hours. And since the tower’s helistop opened last November, Texas Children’s has had more than 120 landings, allowing for greater access to Texas Children’s for the sickest patients.
