​Children’s Hospital of San Antonio opens Medical and Surgical Units

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Children’s Hospital of San Antonio opens Medical and Surgical Units

Mays family recognized for $2.5 million gift to hospital

Grape and tangerine walls greeted the first children who entered the newest patient floors opening the last week of March at the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. The color scheme for the 10th features luminous orange accents, while the 11th floor is vibrant purple. Bright colors have been incorporated throughout the hospital based on research showing children heal faster and with better results when surrounded by dazzling colors and natural light. These two new additions bring the number of new floors at the hospital to four with a total of 80 new private patient rooms designed around the concept of family-centered care.

The 10th floor opened March 24 with the announcement of a $2.5 million gift to the hospital by the Mays Family Foundation. The gift will be used for construction of the new Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, the first free-standing, non-profit hospital in South Texas solely dedicated to the care of children.

“The Mays family is so glad to be able to support this important asset for the children of San Antonio,” noted David Green, Mays Family Foundation executive director. “We are confident this hospital, along with their partners Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, will achieve their aspirations to become a nationally recognized children’s hospital.”

“This is such an important gift. Yes, it is generous, but equally important is the statement made by one of San Antonio’s leading philanthropic families,” shared John E. Bel, president of the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio Foundation. “We are honored by this gift as an expression of confidence and trust in the Children’s Hospital from the Mays family.”

The Mays Family Foundation is committed to supporting communities in which the family lives, works, and serves through causes that aid, empower, enrich, and educate. They work together as a family to fulfill the mission that their patriarch, Lowry Mays, wrote more than 30 years ago when he founded Clear Channel Communications.

The 11th floor opened March 23 with a blessing for the hospital’s associates who care for children following surgical procedures including abdominal, head and neck, thoracic surgery, oncology, and advanced laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgeries.

“I am overwhelmed by the kindness and professionalism of the staff. Since the day we first entered the Emergency Department and each time we’ve come here for Charlotte’s diagnosis and treatment, we have been blessed and loved,” said Pamela Smith of New Braunfels, whose three-year-old daughter has had 10 surgeries at the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio to remove a vascular abnormality on her neck. “Dr. Buckmiller has been completely accessible and takes the time to answer all of our questions.” Dr. Lisa Buckmiller is the section head of the Ear, Nose, and Throat Department at the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio.

“As we continue to open new units of the hospital, we aren’t just making cosmetic changes. We are changing the way pediatric medicine is practiced in this community. Through our partnership with the Baylor College of Medicine, we have been fortunate to recruit more than 170 pediatric specialists and subspecialists to provide world-class care on these new patient units and throughout the hospital,” said Elias J. Neujahr, president of the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. “We are ensuring our children will always come first and we are continuing the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System mission of extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.”