MANY STARS, ONE VISION:
The Campaign for the
New Children’s Hospital
at Scott & White
is my privilege to serve as Steering Committee
Chairperson for the campaign to build a new children’s
hospital in the heart of Central Texas. As a lifelong
Texan, I know what we can accomplish when faced with a
challenge. We are now faced with an urgent need to expand
healthcare for our children.
Scott & White provides medical services to an area that
encompasses more than 25,000 square miles. That represents a
lot of children! The current children’s hospital at Scott & White
in Temple, Texas, has an excellent reputation and is staffed by
skilled and dedicated pediatricians and pediatric specialists.
Often seriously ill or injured children must be transferred from
surrounding clinics and hospitals to the pediatric hospital at
Scott & White to receive more specialized care. I have seen
firsthand the passion of these doctors, nurses, and staff as they
care for the youngest and most vulnerable of patients.
More than 6,000 children were treated at Scott & White in
2009. Even though the hospital has expanded specialty services
for children during the past decades, hundreds of children were
still sent out of the area for care. This is because we didn’t have
available space and expertise to care for them. This is
unacceptable. When treatment is unavailable, families must
travel hundreds of miles to seek healthcare. These families face
hardships that many of us can only imagine. In addition to the
emotional trauma of having a sick child, they must find a way to
overcome overwhelming obstacles. How will they meet the
expenses of frequent travel to an unfamiliar and distant
metropolitan area? Can they find a place to stay that is
affordable? What will they do about children and other
It
dependent family members left at home? What about their jobs?
Our area is made up of many small cities, towns, and
communities. We may be small, but we have a big heart. Let the
call go out to parents, grandparents, children, friends, businesses,
and associates: Help us build this hospital for our children!
They deserve the best facilities, equipment, staff, nurses, and
specialists that medicine has to offer. In the words of a Texan,
“Let’s get it done!”
Sincerely,
SHARON POWELL, PhD
Steering Committee Chairperson
sw.org | Fall 10 THE CATALYST
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