Children’s Medical Center Foundation Gets $500,000 from Jordan Spieth Family Foundation

September 28, 2022September 28, 2022 Staff Report 0 Comments GIVINGPEOPLE, PHN

Children’s Medical Center Foundation, the fundraising arm of Children’s Health, recently announced a $500,000 donation from the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation (JSFF) to support the expansion at Children’s Medical Center Plano, with a focus on pediatric oncology.

“Annie and I are very grateful to the incredible oncology staff at Children’s Health for their life-saving work,” Jordan Speith said. “We have a personal connection to pediatric cancer, and to this hospital specifically. And while we hope research continues to make this issue nonexistent in the future, for now, our focus is on improving each family’s experience as much as possible.”

The gift is the largest donation granted to any organization from JSFF and in recognition of this generous gift, the family support lounge, that will be located in the newly expanded Pauline Allen Gill Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Medical Center Plano, will be named the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Lounge. The new space will provide respite for patient families with a lounge area and an enclosed kitchenette.

L-R: Tatum Teague (Patient), Jordan Speith, Annie Verret (Spieth’s girlfriend and Spieth Family Foundation Committee Advisor), and Eric Leyendecker (Spieth’s close friend and former cancer patient) in the CCBD Day Hospital. Also pictured: Blair (Therapy Dog). Jordan Spieth Family Foundation visit and tour of the CHST Dallas hospital’s CCBD floor.

“Within each of our pillars, we want to focus on providing direct support to children and families who are facing challenges,” Annie Spieth said. “Our goal with this gift is to provide thousands of families in North Texas who are facing a diagnosis closer access to the life-saving care of Children’s Medical Center. If we can be a small part of expanding access to treatment and, in turn, give quality time back to these families, then we hopefully contribute toward their healing journey. Jordan and I are very grateful to the incredible oncology staff at Children’s for their life-saving work.”

Through JSFF, PGA Tour pro Jordan Spieth and his family lend time, help grow awareness and offer financial support for four philanthropic areas: individuals with special needs, junior golf, military families and veterans, and pediatric cancer.

Children’s Health is one of the 2022 beneficiaries within their pediatric cancer pillar. The goal of the Spieth’s foundation is to fund programs that offer direct care for children fighting cancer and their families. This includes supporting child life services, emotional and social therapies, familial respite, and avenues to overcome financial burdens on families when facing a diagnosis.

“Jordan and Annie Spieth have been longtime supporters of the Children’s Health mission, which they understand deeply,” said Brent Christopher, president of Children’s Medical Center Foundation. “We’re extremely grateful for this generous gift as the Plano campus of Children’s Health expands to meet the growing population of kids in North Texas. Having access to the best pediatric care for children and families close to home is critical. This commitment to help kids battling cancer is at the heart of what it means to make life better for children.”

Groundbreaking for the Children’s Medical Center Plano campus expansion took place in October 2021 and is expected to be complete by late 2024.

Expansion plans for the Plano campus include a new 395,000-square-foot tower to house expanded specialty care programs, such as cardiology, oncology, gastroenterology, and neurology, among others.

The new tower, which will nearly double the size of the hospital facility, will increase the total number of available beds from 72 to 212.