Borowy Family Children’s Critical Care Tower capital campaign reaches goal through donor support

Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville’s “Hope Starts Here” campaign benefitting the development of the Borowy Family Children’s Critical Care Tower has achieved its $30 million capital goal. The completion of the campaign comes exactly a year after the building officially opened in February 2022.

Crews broke ground on the seven-story, $224 million Borowy Tower in May 2019. The building features two lobbies that serve as the main entrance to Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville/Wolfson Children’s Hospital campus, five floors dedicated to neonatal and pediatric intensive care, 127 patient beds and advanced technology and equipment.

The five-year “Hope Starts Here” campaign publicly launched in fall 2021, following the announcement of the Borowy Family Foundation’s landmark gift toward the new Children’s Critical Care Tower.

In addition to a $30 million goal to support the construction of the Borowy Tower, Wolfson Children’s set out to raise an additional $30 million in endowment and program support for services such as the Bower Lyman Center for Medically Complex Children, the Stys Neuroscience Institute, and Behavioral Health, among others.

The Foundation is just shy of its total $60 million campaign goal, with $58.4 million raised as of late February. The “Hope Starts Here" campaign will conclude in September 2023, coinciding with the end of Baptist Health’s fiscal year.

“Being a part of this tremendous effort has been an honor, knowing the exceptional care that Wolfson Children’s delivers to the children and families throughout the region. The new Borowy Tower provides world-class facilities and technology that further advance the care and treatment provided at the hospital,” said Roseann Duran, “Hope Starts Here” campaign chair and Wolfson Children’s Board member.

The “Hope Starts Here” campaign is dedicated to transforming the delivery of integrated critical care for the region’s most vulnerable, critically ill and injured infants and children and expanding access to vital Wolfson Children’s programs and services. With 154,000+ annual patient visits, donations benefit the thousands of children served by Wolfson Children’s and its extensive network of care each year.

“‘Hope Starts Here’ reflects a collective, generous expression of philanthropy by our community, led by a transformational gift from The Borowy Family,” said Kimberly M. Jones, chief philanthropy officer of Baptist Health. “Walking through the doors of the new tower, you are struck by the expansive, bright spaces, gallery-worthy artwork and state-of-the-art technology. That all makes a difference for our patients, families and our extraordinary care providers. We can never say thank you enough.”

Donors who have generously given anchor gifts toward the “Hope Starts Here” campaign include:

Borowy Family Foundation: Dr. Thom and Pat Borowy, and their children and son-in-law, Hayden Borowy and Megan Borowy Walker (Mark), donated the largest single gift in Wolfson Children’s 68-year history. Their philanthropic investment was recognized by establishing the naming of the Borowy Family Children’s Critical Care Tower.

Dr. Thomas and Anna Chiu: Dr. Chiu, former chair of the Department of Pediatrics for the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville and the Division of Neonatology at Wolfson Children’s and his wife, Anna, made a significant gift to support the capital needs of the Tower, recognized with the establishment of the Dr. Thomas

20. 23. Chiu and Anna Shi Chiu Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The Jack and Betty Demetree Family Foundation: The Demetrees are longtime local philanthropists and partners to Wolfson Children’s, investing in previous campaigns. Their latest gift helps fund cutting-edge technology in the new Borowy Tower and the Stys Neuroscience Institute at Wolfson Children’s.

Roseann Duran: Ms. Duran has generously invested in what is now known as the Duran Genetics Center for many years, a program named to honor her outstanding support. Roseann is the chair of the “Hope Starts Here” campaign, immediate past chair of the Wolfson Children’s Development Council and longtime Wolfson Children’s Board member.

The Jim and Tabitha Furyk Foundation: The Furyks are dedicated partners to Wolfson Children’s and Baptist Health, through Board and volunteer leadership and the Furyk Foundation’s generous support of child advocacy initiatives, behavioral health programs, care for medically complex children and much more

Amanda and Ashton Hudson: Their gift was recognized with the establishment of the Amanda and Ashton Hudson Welcome Center. The Hudsons are longtime advocates and volunteers for Wolfson Children’s, and Amanda (Mandy) serves on the “Hope Starts Here” campaign committee.

Lauren Kelly, PhD: Dr. Kelly established an endowment supporting children with pediatric scoliosis and spinal deformities, the first major fund supporting this area of Wolfson Children’s.

Harriet and the late Clayton J. Kicklighter: The Kicklighters’ gift was recognized by naming the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in their honor.

Frank and Marisa Martire: The Martires’ capital donation established the Frank and Marisa Martire Family Neuro-ICU, a subspecialized unit within the Tower’s PICU.

The McGehee Family: Sutton and Debbie McGehee – along with daughters and sons-in-law Amanda McGehee Jackson (Matthew), Ray McGehee O’Steen (Michael) and Jenny McGehee Claggett (Ty) – made a gift to support technology needs in the Borowy Tower, recognized by naming the Sutton and Debbie McGehee Family Children's Going Home Center.

The Snyder Family: Ed and Liz Snyder and their family, made a gift to create Wolfson Children’s first-ever traumatic burn and wound treatment rooms. The two specialized rooms, along with a dedicated outpatient care center, make up the new Snyder Family Burn & Wound Care Center.

The late Mary Virginia Terry: Along with her late husband, C. Herman, Mrs. Terry always had an interest in children’s health and wellbeing and was a longtime partner of Wolfson Children’s. She made the lead gift to the “Hope Starts Here” campaign, which was recognized with the establishment of the C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry NICU on the third floor of the Borowy Tower.

Other anchor donors also supported “Hope Starts Here” but wish to remain anonymous.

“We’re grateful for the community’s generosity, which enables us to continue to offer hope and healing when the region needs it most,” Jones said.

To learn more about the “Hope Starts Here” campaign and how to participate, please visit hopestartshere.com.