Our Investments
Our generous supporters make it possible to enhance patient care and fund innovative research studies in the Pauline Allen Gill Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (Gill Center) at Children’s Health and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Over the past 30, we have awarded grants in the following ways:
82% for clinical research and science, financing specific research studies and supporting pediatric hematology/oncology fellows and faculty members at UT Southwestern to develop better treatments and reduce the incidence of pediatric cancer and the effects of radiation and other treatment in our children.
18% to improve patient care in the Gill Center at Children’s Health through key investments in the child life program, including support for Child Life Specialists who assist the children in coping with their illness and stressful treatments, as well as equipment, toys, games, art supplies and other items for patient entertainment and distraction.
Child Life Specialists are individuals professionally trained in child development to help cope with stressful, challenging events, such as illness, or in this case, also a pandemic. By using therapeutic play, education, and creative age-appropriate activities that facilitate expression of thoughts and emotions our child life specialists promote growth and development. This is vitally important during such a time, as the way children manage stress and trauma differs greatly from the way adults do.