SPRINGDALE, Ark. — On Aug. 4 the Willard & Pat Walker Foundation announced their donation of $25 million to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
“This is the single largest gift ever received by our foundation and it couldn't have come from a morecharitable foundation than the Walker Foundation” said Marcy Doderer, president and CEO of Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Mandy Macke, executive director of the Willard & Pat Walker Charities Foundation announced the gift at the 15th annual Gala of Hope at the Fayetteville Public Library.
“Pat was such an advocate for all Arkansans ... being able to give our largest single gift ever to Arkansas Children's Northwest means the world,” said Macke.
$12.5 million of the donation will support expansion efforts, including a new wing in the Springdale location. The remaining donation will be placed in an endowment.
“We'll use that endowment money to help us recruit over 30 new specialist pediatricians over the coming years that will live and work right here in Northwest Arkansas,” said Doderer.
The expansions primary focus areas are orthopedics, urology, gastroenterology, and ear, nose, and throat. The acuity of services provided will be expanded as well as complexity of surgeries performed. The project will add inpatient beds, operating rooms, and an endoscopy suite. An additional outpatient clinic space where patients can attend primary care appointments will also be added.
Both Macke and Doderer said this expansion was needed to meet the needs of the growing region for children with specialized healthcare needs.
“We knew five years ago when Arkansas Children's Northwest opened that there would need to be an expansion down the road, and now is the right time. We have seen the continued growth of our community. We need to offer expanded services and expanded specialties for our families of Northwest Arkansas,” said Macke.
In recognition of this goal, the Arkansas Children’s Northwest Campus will be renamed the Pat Walker Campus.
“You'll see new signage that will say Arkansas Children's Northwest Pat Walker campus, it's a way that we can honor her and help her legacy continue to live on, through the impact she's had on kids in this part of the state,” said Doderer.
“I can see that smile on Pat's face right now. She would be pleased of the work that Arkansas Children's has already done and the work that they're going to be continuing doing,” said Macke.
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