A night of soaring hope at the Spirit of the Woods gala

On Sat., Sept. 28, nearly 500 guests gathered at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott for the Spirit of the Woods gala benefiting Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands. The spectacular evening was filled with stunning performances by Antigravity, a high-energy aerial and acrobatics group which showcased the power of the human body and spirit. Thanks to the entertainment sponsored by Woodforest National Bank, guests were treated to highflying acts and daredevil drops all in support of the outreach and care Texas Children’s provides to underserved families in the community.

Michelle Riley-Brown, president of Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, welcomed guests and provided updates on the hospital’s successes since opening in 2017, including the remarkable milestones of completing 351,000 patient visits, more than 86,100 emergency center visits, and 18,787 surgeries. She also commended the astounding generosity of The Woodlands community, which – through this gala – helped raise more than $800,000 to care for the area’s most vulnerable children.

Dr. Jeffrey Shilt, chief surgical officer at Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, introduced the event’s honorees, Missy and Wayne Herndon, who are an integral part of the community and continue to make a lasting impact on Texas Children’s. The gala was made possible by Stacey and Steve Bourque, as well as the dedicated gala committee. The hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr. Paul Sirbaugh, helped close out the evening by sharing the transformational impact the gracious support of these individuals, and those in attendance, has on Texas Children’s mission. Through their generosity, and that of the community at large, the most vulnerable children in The Woodlands are able to receive the best care possible regardless of their ability to pay.