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 Julie Watson at julie.watson@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
“It is not exaggeratory to say, ‘These providers saved my child’s life.’ I will forever be grateful for how they have cared for him. He has a complicated body and multiple providers across various teams work closely together to come up with the best plan for him.” - Julie Forrest, Duke Children's Patient Parent and Duke Children's Society Member
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
The third annual Duke Children’s Society Celebration was held on September 20, 2024 at Karsh Alumni and Visitors Center on Duke University campus. The Duke Children’s Society recognizes annual donors who give $2,500 or more cumulatively to any area at Duke Children’s. In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Duke Children’s Society members contributed over $7M –47% of the total revenue raised through annual fundraising.
Over 110 attendees heard from Debbie Taylor, Acting Associate Vice Present of Duke Children's and Duke Cancer Institute Development, and Dr. Ann M. Reed, chair of the department of pediatrics and physician-and-chief of Duke Children’s. They were our first audience to meet our 2024-2025 Champion Patient Ambassadors.
During the event, attendees participated in a special activity led by Susan Budziszewski and Holly Tugman, members of the Duke Children's Child Life team. Budziszewski and Tugman led attendees in a "blood soup" exercise, which is used in the hematology-oncology unit. After the exercise, Biana Backus, a clinical nurse who works in pediatric oncology, explained the collaboration between Child Life and nursing.
In addition to the speakers and activities, two awards were presented during the event: the Duke Children's Hero Award was presented to George Grody and the Duke Children's Partner Award was presented to Durham Costco.
Read more about the 2024 Duke Children's Society Celebration
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:
- George Grody, 2024
- Hands for Hearts, 2023
- 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
The Duke Children's Partner Award
The Duke Children’s Partner Award is a new award to recognize and honor our corporate partners who have shown an exceptional commitment to furthering the Duke Children’s mission of providing the best medical care to every child. These organizations must be staunch advocates for Duke Children’s, aligning their social responsibility with our missions of world-class clinical care, pediatric research that saves lives, and provider education that will shape the pediatricians of tomorrow.
Duke Children's Partner Award Winners:
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.