Bellaire - Meyerland - West University | June 2025

BY CASSANDRA JENKINS & KEVIN VU

Funding source

In their own words

Looking ahead

The Kinder Children’s Cancer Center will launch in 2026, with the first step of consolidating patient care at Texas Children’s Hospital. Radiation oncology will remain at MD Anderson, and adolescent/young adult programs will be provided at both institutions, according to the May news release. The center will be governed by a board from both institutions; the number of members wasn’t available at press time. A search is also anticipated to begin soon to identify a physician and administrator to lead the center. Parsons said the Kinder Children’s Cancer Center could be a game changer, believing these efforts will lead to a new era in childhood cancer treatment. “The things that we are routinely doing now in our clinics—things that are standardly done for patients today— … these things would have been science fiction when I was at medical school,” Parsons said.

A $150 million donation from the Kinder Founda- tion served as the lead gift for the new cancer center facility, which will undergo a multi-year campaign to secure funds for the continuation of the project. The Kinder Foundation is a nonprofit organi- zation established by Rich and Nancy Kinder that focuses on providing grants for transformational community projects in the Greater Houston region. Rich Kinder said the new center exemplifies the foundation’s philanthropic mission, and he expects it will reshape the future of pediatric care.

“Our state-of-the-art facility will ... ultimately create a comprehensive program equipped to lead the global fight against childhood cancer.” DEBRA F. SUKIN, PRESIDENT AND CEO, TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

“Kinder Children’s Cancer Center will become a global destination for comprehensive childhood cancer care

Kinder Foundation contributions

and survivorship.” PETER WT PISTERS, PRESIDENT, UT MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER

$621.4M donated as of December

24.14% of funds went to the Kinder Children’s Cancer Center

SOURCE: KINDER FOUNDATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT

AWARD-WINNING HEART & STROKE CARE Harris Health Ben Taub Hospital

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BELLAIRE - MEYERLAND - WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION

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