Children’s Medical Center Plano receives huge donation

Plano - North Texas is on track to receive a significant boost in pediatric medical care, as the Children's Medical Center Foundation has announced a groundbreaking donation of $1 million, targeted at the broad expansion of Children's Medical Center Plano, Dallas Metro News reported.

The donation initiative is further strengthened by the inclusion of Take 5 Oil Change, a community partner that has pledged an equal sum to facilitate world-class medical care for local families.

"We are super excited that Take 5 Oil Change is a great community partner and they have committed $1 million to help ensure that the expansion of Children's Medical Center Plano is successful. That is so critical for the kids and families that are counting on amazing world-class care close to home," Brent Christopher, president of the Children's Medical Center Foundation said, according to NBC DFW.

"The donation brings the philanthropic total to $14 million supporting the expansion of the Plano campus, bolstered by generous gifts from the family of former Dallas Cowboys owner Bum Bright and the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation."

The blueprint for the expanded facility is ambitious and far-reaching, designed to equip patients and families with state-of-the-art technology, pioneering services, and substantial new facilities. A major feature of this expansion is the introduction of specialized behavioral health treatment rooms, aimed at providing urgent mental health services for pediatric patients—a facet that Christopher stressed as crucial.

“We know how important mental health is, especially when it comes to our young people. They will have a place for specialized care is a game-changer for this community. The hospital's expansion comes at a time when Collin County is growing at twice the rate of Dallas County. It's projected those three million children will live in North Texas by 2050,” Christopher said.

The proposed growth of the Plano campus also includes the renovation of the Plano radiology department, a development poised to solidify the hospital's position as a top provider of comprehensive medical care.

"The pandemic drove all of that to an entirely new level, new level. Taking care of kids who are facing a mental health crisis is a significant priority at children's health. We want to be there and be a resource as early as possible and try to prevent a crisis from happening. But when it does, we also know that we've got to have the resources and facilities available and on point to meet those kids where they are and that means some special dedicated space," Christopher said.

The hospital's expansion will include 212 additional patient beds, nearly tripling its current capacity. This increase will also more than triple the number of intensive care unit beds. According to Christopher, the plan also entails an enlarged emergency room, complete with advanced trauma care facilities, added space, and new equipment and resources to enhance patient treatment efficiency and effectiveness.

In addition, the expansion will include the renovation of the Plano radiology department space.

The hospital has a specific timeline for several portions of the expansion:

• Completion of the 650-car parking garage in February 2023
• Completion of the frame for the new tower in May 2023
• Completion of the steel helipad on the roof of the new tower
• Renovations on the Plano Cafe, a special dining area for patient families, started in July 2023.

The expansion of Children's Medical Center Plano is scheduled to be completed with the opening of the 395,000-square-foot tower by the end of 2024.

Content credit: Dallas Metro News, NBC DFW, Children's Medical Center Plano