Children’s National Hospital Launches $500 Million Campaign to Transform Pediatric Health

Philanthropy will promote life-saving solutions for children and families

Follow the leader is Children’s National’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign in ten years. Strategic investments today will improve the lives of generations.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Children’s National Hospital today announced a campaign to raise $500 million by 2023 for lifesaving care and research for children. follow the leader is the hospital’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign in more than a decade.

Children’s National is one of the nation’s top 10 children’s hospitals and No. 1 for newborn care, according to US News & World Report. It is also home to the country’s first pediatric research and innovation campus, which opened earlier this year and houses the Children’s National Research Institute and its more than 600 scientists.

“As one of the oldest independent children’s hospitals in the country, philanthropy has always played an important role in our ability to provide quality care to children, improve the health of our community, and conduct groundbreaking research,” says Kurt Newman, MD, president and CEO of Children’s National Hospital. “This campaign will directly contribute to life-saving and life-changing progress for the betterment of children everywhere. I invite all philanthropists, child health advocates and community members to join us so that by working together we can help even more children grow stronger.”

follow the leader is inspired by the hospital’s pediatric patients and caregivers. It highlights five bold initiatives where the hospital excels and where philanthropy can transform pediatrics:

Pioneering Prenatal Pediatrics: We will provide the best care for high-risk mothers and babies before birth and throughout their first year by expanding our brain development institute, developing more accurate treatments for preterm babies, and non-invasive surgical techniques and high-quality imaging

Pioneering treatments for complex conditions: We will make life-saving clinical progress for sick children by investing in the nursing workforce of the future, transforming cardiac and colorectal surgery, empowering cancer survivors and accelerating research into the use of non -Invasive, targeted ultrasound technology for the treatment of conditions such as brain tumors, epilepsy and movement disorders

Leading Integrated Mental Health Care: We will address the mental health crisis by creating new avenues to support families before they need emergency care by embedding mental health specialists in primary and specialty care clinics, screenings and care coordination and create a suicide prevention model program

Strengthening the community through access to care: We will expand our work to identify and address racial inequalities that prevent families from receiving the care they deserve through comprehensive K-12 programming and nursing education, coordination with early childhood centers and setting up a mental health policy lab within our advocacy institute

Revolutionizing healthcare through pediatric discoveries: We will improve children’s health today and in the future by expanding our Rare Disease Institute, uncovering the secrets of autism and developmental disabilities, advancing precision medicine and cell therapy treatments, and conducting a range of research studies implement the way we care for children

“Philanthropic funding plays a critical role in research and our ability to address issues in pediatric clinical care,” said Vittorio Gallo, Ph.D., interim Chief Academic Officer. “Because our research program is fully integrated with our clinical care program, Children’s National has a unique environment where researchers and clinicians can collaborate and lead us into the future together.”

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Every donation to Children’s National counts towards the follow the leader campaign of $500 million goal.

The campaign co-chairs are Amy and Bret Baier, Izumi and Dave Levy, Jennifer and Jimmy Reyes, Cinthia and Horacio Rozanski, and Carrie and David Marriott.

“When the ambulance came, I insisted that they take Henry to Children’s National,” said Carrie Marriott, a longtime volunteer, advocate, grateful parent and donor. “I knew he would receive the best clinical care for his burns, as well as the best nursing care, the best life support for children, and the best care for our entire family. Any other frightened parent or family in our community will receive the same level of care and compassion from Children’s National.”

“David and I thank Children’s National for their dedication to improving the lives of children in our community and around the world. Our commitment to Children’s National parallels their commitment to all of us.”

To learn more about follow the leader, visit childrensnational.org/followtheleader.

About National Children’s Hospital
Children’s National Hospital, located in Washington, DC, celebrates 150 years of pediatric care, research and community commitment. Volunteers opened the 12-bed hospital in 1870 for children displaced after the Civil War. Today, 150 years stronger, it ranks among the top 10 children’s hospitals in the country. It ranks #1 for newborn care for the fifth year in a row and ranked in all specialties rated by US News & World Report. Children’s National is transforming pediatrics for all children. In 2021, the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus was opened, the first in the country dedicated to pediatric research. Children’s National has been named a Magnet® hospital three times in a row, demonstrating the highest standards of nursing and patient care. This academic pediatric health system provides expert care through a convenient community-based primary care network and specialty care locations in the DC metropolitan area, including Maryland and Northern Virginia. Children’s National is home to the Children’s National Research Institute and the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation. It is known for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at the local, regional and national levels.

Morgan McKean
Mmckean2@childrensnational.org
(251) 421-1111

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7d34475c-1a8f-4d37-b7c8-156ac47967c9