DUKE CHILDREN'S SOCIETY
Philanthropic Leaders for Children's Health
The Duke Children's Society is a special group of annual donors committed to the Duke Children’s mission of clinical care, pediatric research, and provider education that will impact children not just in Durham, but around the world. Support from members of this society provides the philanthropic leadership for this critical work.
This society honors the generosity of supporters who have given $2,500 or more during a fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) to Duke Children’s. The impact of your generosity is significant as we continue our mission to provide hope and healing for the children and families we treat. Your Duke Children’s Society commitment helps us continue our mission to build a healthier tomorrow for our children.
Please make your gift today! For more information, contact Amelia Howle at amelia.howle@duke.edu.
In recognition of your Duke Children’s Society membership, you will receive the following benefits:
- Special invitation for two people to a Duke Children’s annual event
- Your name listed on the Annual wall in the Duke Children’s Health Center and the Leadership Society or Innovators Society wall in Duke Clinic
- Subscription to Stories magazine twice a year and The Bounce quarterly
e-newsletter

“The care my daughter has received has been everything to our family. The entire staff truly became our family, and we are forever grateful. Duke means the world to us.”
Duke Children's Society Levels:
Partners - $2,500
Your Partners level gift can provide 11 infant seats to comfort and soothe babies in the Intensive Care Nursery.
Champions - $5,000
Your Champions level gift can fund the pet therapy research program for over a year to comfort and calm children receiving treatment.
Leadership - $10,000
Your Leadership level gift can cover the cost of 20 3D-printed hearts for planning complex pediatric heart surgeries.
Innovators - $25,000
Your Innovators level gift can provide an advanced patient simulator to train neonatology teams in the care of pre-term babies.
The Duke Children's Society Luncheon
Duke Children's brought together a group of philanthropic leaders to celebrate generosity during the inaugural Duke Children's Society Celebration on September 30, 2022 at the Washington Duke Inn on the Duke University campus. All Duke Children's Society members receive an invitation to this special event.
During the 2022 event, the Trawick family shared their incredible story that led them to become Society members by supporting pediatric heart research that will help more children like their daughter, Ande. The physician who saved Ande's life, Piers Barker, MD, shared how his team uses imaging to create 3-dimensional models of a heart to help them plan complex heart surgeries. Society members in attendance were able to hold 3D models of real patients' hearts to get a sense of the intricacy of performing life-saving surgery on a child's heart!
Also at the event, the Duke Children's Hero Award was given to Joan and Glenn Petty, longtime Duke Children's supporters. Joan and Glenn have been a part of the Duke Children's family since 1985 when Joan joined the 'Jump for the Children' Horse Show committee. In 1990 she became chairwoman of the show and four years later Joan and Glenn took over the reins of the horse show and have been the heart and soul of the event ever since.
'Jump for the Children' is the longest, continuously held, annual fundraiser for Duke Children's and has raised $2.8M for patient treatment, medical research, and physician training. Through the tireless dedication and commitment of Joan and Glenn and the widespread support of the local horse show community, 'Jump for the Children' celebrated its 39th year in November, 2022.
Joan and Glenn continue their support of Duke Children's through their service of the National Leadership Council and we are grateful for their continued partnership. Joan and Glenn were recognized during the Duke Children's Society Celebration for their many years of inspiring compassion, dedication, and support for the kids at Duke Children's.
The Duke Children's Hero Award
The Duke Children’s Hero Award is presented to individuals who have shown an exceptional commitment to furthering Duke Children’s mission of providing the best medical care to every child. The honoree or honorees must be advocates, supporters, partners, and friends of Duke Children’s who are willing to devote their own time and resources to help our patients, providers, researchers, and staff. The award was established in 2018 to show our gratitude to those who hold Duke Children’s in a special place in their hearts.
Duke Children's Hero Award Winners:
- Joan and Glenn Petty, the 'Jump for the Children' Horse Show, 2022
- The Krzyzewski Family, 2019
- Jim Kelly, MIX 101.5, 2018
- Stan Simmerson, Duke University Hospital, 2018

YOUR GIFT CREATES A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR CHILDREN IN NEED
We appreciate gifts of any size, making sure that your generosity is used to advance medical care and provide a better tomorrow for our children. You can choose a dollar amount to give now, or continue exploring more ways that you can support Duke Children’s.