Children’s Health and UT Southwestern receive $100 million donation from the Pogue family for new $5 billion Dallas pediatric campus
Historic gift will name park at the new campus
DALLAS – May 15, 2024 – Children's HealthSM and UT Southwestern Medical Center on Wednesday announced a historic gift of $100 million from the Jean and Mack Pogue family in support of the $5 billion transformative new Dallas pediatric campus, unveiled earlier this year. The gift from the Pogue Foundation is one of only four $100 million philanthropic gifts ever publicly announced in North Texas, and it is the largest donation yet to the new pediatric campus project, which will replace the existing Children’s Medical Center Dallas.
“Mack and I have had the blessing of being able to support Children’s Health and UT Southwestern for many years, knowing how much they impact the well-being of patients and communities they serve,” said Jean Pogue. “Our family is proud to play a part in helping build the new Dallas pediatric campus. We’re beyond grateful for the difference it will make for future generations of children.”
To recognize the Pogue family gift, the 33-acre site for the new Dallas pediatric campus will be named Pogue Park. The park will encompass the outdoor grounds surrounding the new facilities and will include sprawling green spaces intended to support compassionate healing and reduce stress in a restorative and natural environment.
“For four decades, the Pogue family's generosity has been instrumental in our ability to deliver exceptional care that is helping to shape the future of health care,” said Christopher Durovich, President and Chief Executive Officer at Children's Health. “Pogue Park will profoundly enhance the patient and family experience in our new Dallas pediatric campus, creating a respite reflective of our mission to make life better for children.”
Mack, who died in early 2024, and Jean Pogue have generously provided Children’s Health and UT Southwestern with more than $200 million in support over the past 40 years. The gifts allow both institutions to deliver the best care possible while also conducting world-class scientific research that will transform health care well into the future.
“Through their remarkable foresight and philanthropy, Mack and Jean Pogue have advanced groundbreaking research at UT Southwestern, with a special focus on children,” said Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., President of UT Southwestern Medical Center and Professor of Internal Medicine. “The discoveries they have helped make possible will come to life through the multidisciplinary, cutting-edge care that children from North Texas and beyond will receive at our new pediatric campus.”
Bolstered by the Pogue family, Children’s Health and UT Southwestern are entering a new chapter in pediatric medical care, innovation, and research – building a brighter future for children as North Texas experiences unprecedented growth. The pediatric population in the region is expected to double by 2050, and with this growth comes the inherent need for greater access to exceptional pediatric health care.
“This powerful gift is the latest testament to the Pogue family's desire that every child will have access to high-quality care when and where they need it,” said Brent Christopher, President of the Children’s Medical Center Foundation. “Their quiet generosity in support of health care and research has greatly benefited each of our lives in one way or another across Dallas and far beyond.”
Children’s Health and UT Southwestern unveiled plans in February for a new $5 billion Dallas pediatric campus. Located in Dallas’ Southwestern Medical District directly across from UT Southwestern’s William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, the new pediatric campus will also be a joint hub for innovation, academic research, training, and the development of life-saving technologies in Dallas.
To learn more, visit childrens.com/watchusgrow, www.utsouthwestern.edu, and give.childrens.com.
About Children’s Medical Center Foundation
As the fundraising arm for Children’s Health℠, one of the largest and most prestigious nonprofit pediatric health systems in North Texas, the Children's Medical Center Foundation provides philanthropic support through partnerships with individual donors, organizations, and corporations.
These funds support Children's Health with the enhancement of care, discovery of cures, and building a healthier community across all Children's Health campuses to fulfill the mission to make life better for children. All contributions to Children's Medical Center Foundation directly support patients and their families, ensuring the best experience, best care, and ultimately a fighting chance to get back to being a kid again.
To learn more, visit give.childrens.com.
About Children’s Health
Children’s Health is the leading pediatric health care system in North Texas and has long been recognized as a leader in pediatric health. Its campuses include Children’s Medical Center Dallas, Children’s Medical Center Plano and multiple Children’s Health Specialty Centers, caring for 370,000 patients each year.
In partnership with UT Southwestern Medical Center, it is consistently recognized among the nation’s best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. This commitment to excellence and outstanding care has resulted in recognition across all pediatric specialties for eight consecutive years, including Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Behavioral Health, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology, and Urology.
Since 2009, Children’s Health has maintained Magnet® designation – the highest honor for nursing excellence – and continues to earn employer-of-choice recognition locally, nationally, and globally. These honors include the Great Place to Work® Certification™, the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award and Top Workplaces recognition from USA TODAY and The Dallas Morning News. Children’s Health has also been named one of the 150 Best Places to Work in Healthcare by Becker’s Hospital Review for 14 consecutive years.
About UT Southwestern Medical Center
UT Southwestern, one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty members have received six Nobel Prizes and include 24 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 25 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 13 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The full-time faculty of more than 3,300 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians in more than 80 specialties care for more than 143,000 hospitalized patients, attend to more than 470,000 emergency room cases, and oversee nearly 5.3 million outpatient visits a year.