Each year, about 50,000 people across the United States make donations ranging from a few dollars to $10,000 or more through the Office of Philanthropy’s Direct Mail program. Often, donors send heartfelt notes wishing our patients, clinical staff, and other team members well, or they mention fond thoughts of their own children or grandchildren.
To help capture that spirit during the holidays, which can be a tough time for those not able to spend it at home, the program offered its donors the opportunity to sign and return paper origami cranes as a way of sending good wishes and hope to our patients and their families.
Japanese legend has it that mystical cranes can live for 1,000 years, and because cranes represent good health, people often work together to create 1,000 paper cranes – called senbazuru – to promote the health of someone special to them.
In honor of our patients and families, a Tree of Hope decorated with 1,000 cranes will remain in the lobby of the Mark A. Wallace Tower throughout the holidays. Patients and families are welcome to take a crane as a gift from our donors, each of whom stopped during a busy time of year to think about Texas Children’s and our mission.
