President and Chief Executive Officer Mark A. Wallace frequently goes out on the front lines to connect with children and families at Texas Children's.
Earlier this fall, on October 4, 2019, Texas Children's Hospital celebrated the 30th anniversary of Mark A. Wallace as Texas Children's President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Wallace is not your typical CEO. Along with leading the serious and important work in the C-suite and executive board room, he more often than not is connecting with front-line staff and employees, as well as patients and families, to see how Texas Children's can better serve those in need of exceptional pediatric care. His booming, made-for-radio voice can be heard from quite a distance greeting passersby with a robust, "What a great day to be at Texas Children's!"
Over the past three decades, Mr. Wallace has led Texas Children's through unprecedented growth to become one of the world's largest and most comprehensive pediatric and women's health organizations. Texas Children's has gone from a single 7-story building with 278 beds to the institution we know today with 971 beds and 106 locations, serving patients and families in the Greater Houston area and across the globe.
All of this and more has earned Texas Children's a top spot in U.S. News & World Report's Best Children's Hospital ranking for more than a decade. This year, Texas Children's was ranked No. 3 in the nation among all children's hospitals, a ranking no other pediatric hospital in Texas has ever achieved. In addition, Texas Children's ranked in the top 10 in each of the U.S. News & World Report-recognized pediatric subspecialties.
Mark and Shannon Wallace are ensuring their support of Texas Children's and the Pawsitive Play program continues into the future by including Texas Children's in their estate plan.
Mr. Wallace's momentum, passion and devotion to the organization have continued to grow and inspire those around him. His vision and energy motivate people to invest in what has become one of the best pediatric and women's ob/gyn health care organizations in the nation. As he reflected recently, "The story of Texas Children's Hospital belongs to all of us, together, and it's only just the beginning."
As part of ensuring the brightest possible future for Texas Children's, Mr. Wallace and his wife Shannon have included Texas Children's in their estate plans. A portion of their estate gift will support Texas Children's Pawsitive Play program, which uses animal-assisted therapy to enhance the emotional well-being of pediatric patients. Launched in 2016, the program now comprises four therapy golden retrievers—Elsa, Bailey, Pinto and Cohen—who work hard each day to provide comfort to those who may be having trouble coping with a hospital stay, new diagnosis or medical procedure.
After making a generous gift to bring Bailey to Texas Children's, the Wallaces decided they wanted to provide future support for this important program with another gift to Pawsitive Play through their estate. "Patients genuinely light up when they see Bailey or any of the other therapy dogs. They have made a deep impact on so many lives," Mrs. Wallace shares. "The Pawsitive Play program is so special to us and has exceeded our expectations. We can see firsthand what a benefit this program has been—and will be—to the hospital and all of the patients and families Texas Children's serves."
You can join the Wallaces in making a difference at Texas Children's Hospital. Contact Rachel S. Kronenberger at rskronen@texaschildrens.org or 832-824-6907 to learn more.
